The Economics of Henry George

Henry George was an economist and social reformer who believed that land is a natural resource everyone should benefit from. He argued that land should be taxed heavily, especially the unearned increases in land value (like when a neighborhood improves), to reduce inequality and discourage speculation. This idea, called "single tax," aims to fund public services fairly and promote economic fairness, as landowners gain unfair wealth from location advantages without contributing to society. George's approach emphasizes that economic productivity comes from human effort, not land ownership, and that taxing land values helps achieve more equal prosperity.