In 'Land Is a Big Deal,' Lars A. Doucet delves into the economic theories of Henry George, particularly the concept of Georgism. The book is divided into two parts: the first part summarizes George's main arguments from 'Progress and Poverty,' while the second part empirically tests these theories using modern data. Doucet argues that land and its policies have a significant impact on the economy, leading to issues such as high rents, oppressed workers, and environmental degradation. He proposes the implementation of a land value tax as a solution to these problems, demonstrating how it could raise substantial revenue and alleviate economic inequalities. The book also addresses common criticisms of the land value tax and provides case studies to support its feasibility[1][4][5].
In 'Progress and Poverty', Henry George examines the paradox of why poverty and economic depressions occur alongside technological and economic progress. He argues that the private ownership of land, which increases in value without the owner's effort, is a primary cause of poverty and economic cycles. George proposes a single tax on land values as a remedy, suggesting it would reduce other taxes, encourage productive use of land, and distribute wealth more equitably. The book was highly influential, contributing to the Progressive Era and worldwide social reform movements[1][2][5].
Patrick McKenzie (patio11) is joined by Lars Doucet and Greg Miller, co-founders who have just launched the Center for Land Economics, to discuss improving property taxation in the US. They explore how shifting taxes from buildings to land could transform development patterns, why California's property tax caps coincide with its housing crisis, and how the fundamental trade-off between assessment accuracy and consistency creates winners and losers. The conversation also covers the posting-to-policy pipeline, their work developing open-source tools to improve assessment equity, and techniques citizens can use to influence their local assessment office.
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Full transcript available here:
www.complexsystemspodcast.com/tax-the-dirt-with-lars-doucet-greg-miller/
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Recommended in this episode:
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Twitter:
@patio11
@larsiusprime
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TIMESTAMPS:
(00:00) Intro
(00:45) Center for land economics
(04:01) Property tax basics
(05:31) Challenges in property valuation
(10:22) Impact of Proposition 13 in California
(12:28) Anti-market property tax policies
(14:43) Housing crisis and land value
(15:46) Sponsors: Safebase
(17:17) Housing crisis and land value (Part 2)
(27:49) Urban development incentives
(29:17) Tokyo's urban planning success
(39:23) The abundance movement in housing
(40:07) Innovative housing policies
(41:24) Government bureaucracy and policy making
(49:56) Mass appraisals and property tax fairness
(01:00:02) Technological advances in property assessment
(01:06:16) Empowering local governments and citizens
(01:16:02) Wrap
Complex Systems with Patrick McKenzie (patio11) 
