New Books in Critical Theory Christopher William England, "Land and Liberty: Henry George and the Crafting of Modern Liberalism" (Johns Hopkins UP, 2023)
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Jun 14, 2024 Guest Christopher William England discusses Henry George's land value tax, global impact on liberalism, and influence on American and British liberalism. The podcast covers George's proposals for economic inequality, urban reformers aligning with Woodrow Wilson, the decline of Georgeism post World War I, and the legacy of land value taxation in addressing urban inequality and promoting democracy.
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How San Francisco Shaped George's Vision
- Henry George discovered his ideas while working as a journalist in San Francisco and watching rapid urban growth firsthand.
- His experience in California's boom towns shaped Progress and Poverty's focus on urban land values and inequality.
Progress Creates Rents, Not Universal Prosperity
- George argued that rising land values from collective progress create inequality rather than individual failings.
- He proposed taxing land value so society captures shared gains and funds public goods like education and transit.
George's Global Outreach And Irish Connection
- George deliberately wrote for broad audiences, invoking Hindu texts and Mosaic law to appeal internationally.
- His framing connected Irish nationalism to land ownership and won support from figures like Michael Davitt.