‹ BackHN Continuity

Thread

Does Georgism work? Five years later

514 points · 522 comments · silveraxe93

  1. skew-aberration · · focus · HN ↗
    I think LVT does have a history in US, e.g Pittsburgh.

    Also Georgism is 100% LVT -> A land tax alone has been the recommendation of many economists before and after George - From Smith, Riccardo, Mill to Friedman. Across classical, neoclassical, Keynesian, Austrian schools. If there's one thing economists can agree on, it's that land tax is better than income tax.

    1. dyauspitr · · focus · HN ↗

      [dead]

      1. Sharlin · · focus · HN ↗
        It’s exactly the correct idea. If the value of your land rises as a positive externality, it only makes sense that you contribute some of that back to the society that effected the rise in the first place.
        1. bigstrat2003 · · focus · HN ↗
          No it doesn't. You haven't realized any gains, therefore it's not just to tax you on that.
          1. skew-aberration · · focus · HN ↗
            Vast majority are realizing their gains as rent. A land tax would just be taxing those gains before they can be recycled into the real-estate market. Perfectly just in that case.

            If you're talking about an individual not using the land commercially - well theoretically the tax burden lowers the sale price. You don't pay both. At 100% land tax, the sale price would be zero. You pay only as you use the land. That also seems just to me.

Open on Hacker News to reply ↗

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.