• DSN9@lemmy.ml
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    18 hours ago

    Just read Henry George. Land value taxes, etc. He had it all figured out 100 years ago. The fact that we still try to determine elaborate methods for building equality is absurd. The correct answers, and methodology is a variable that is already a known, and backed by piles of empirical evidence.

    He adamantly argued two things:

    1. Land value tax above all else.
    2. Labor must not be considered capital.

    These 2 concepts are core to the economic foundation, of building a extremely dynamic society (huge middle class, open financial systems, urbanism etc.)

    https://progressandpoverty.substack.com/p/the-curious-case-of-qingdao-chinas

    Or for those very curious…

    https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/does-georgism-work-is-land-really

    • billwashere@lemmy.world
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      14 hours ago

      The other issue is large stagnant piles of cash. Money not circulating through the system is useless.

    • lime!@feddit.nu
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      18 hours ago

      is that useful in a world with speculation and day trading? genuine question.

      • DSN9@lemmy.ml
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        16 hours ago

        It destroys incentive for speculative behavior on land. LVT increases density, reduces infrastructure costs, vastly increases distribution of housing. It increases the incentive to use the property and or improve property on the land. Property, houses, buildings etc are not taxed, the land below it is. It is extremely pro environmental, even pro business. It’s implementation is simple. It’s pro the 99 percent and harms owners of large parking lots in urban dense areas (the poorest use of land and essentially a speculative hold).

        Norway used economic concepts from Henry George to utilize their vast carbon resources for the benefit of the many.

        It takes the harmful effects of capitalism and turn it on its head. It is probably exactly what the USA craves. A decentralized bottom up movement in the USA pushing for these kinds of pro human, environmental economic policies could easily overwhelm the current political, tech bro corporatism elements in the USA.

        Henry George absolutely solved the issue of poverty and inequality from a incentives/ structural economic standpoint. It is only the will of the 99 percent that is lacking. The 1 percent can be overthrown easily, in a quick and bold flick of the hand.

        • lime!@feddit.nu
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          14 hours ago

          most speculation today isn’t on land though, it’s on value itself. like, trillion-dollar software companies use very little land compared to their value. elmos riches aren’t bound up in land, it’s all stocks.

          i feel like i’m missing a step.

          • mogranja@lemmy.world
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            13 hours ago

            I see what you mean. But if I have my house on my land, and enough income to provide reasonably for me and my family, what do I care about their imaginary money games?

            • lime!@feddit.nu
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              13 hours ago

              because as long as money is involved in your existence those games still decide whether your income is decent. the speculation economy decides the cost of wares and services, the worth of land and currency, and the political decisions that may change the way all those things develop in future.

              also, presumably, because you don’t want to see others suffer.