Nature's gifts : the Australian lectures of Henry George on the ownership of land & other natural resources / John Pullen.

Annandale, N.S.W. : The Desert Pea Press, 2014.

1st edition

86644

George, Henry, -- 1839-1897.

Economists -- United States.

Social reformers -- United States.

Lectures and lecturing -- Australia.

Land value taxation -- Australia.

Land tenure -- Australia.

Australia -- Economic conditions.

Henry George published Progress and Poverty in 1879. As a consequence, George gained notoriety as an economist and social reformer. He is best remembered as an ardent proponent of a "single tax" on land. George considered that the work of good government could be achieved from the proceeds of one tax. George argued that most taxes, such as income tax had a negative effect on a person's desire to, for example, earn income. According to George, the solution was to tax only the unimproved increases in value of land. In 1890, with the fanfare that today is reserved for rock stars, George conducted a lecture series of 48 public lectures, during a period of 98 days in 34 cities from Rockhampton in Queensland to Parkes in New South Wales, Echuca in Victoria and Port Pirie in South Australia. The lecture series covered a wide range of topics from equal rights to land, property rights, land value taxation, a single tax, land nationalization, free trade and protectionism. John Pullen draws on extensive research and resources to piece together in meticulous detail the steps taken and lectures given by George during his time in Australia. The second part of the book analyses the relevance of Georgist ideas today. For many in Australia at that time, the idea of a single tax was attractive, but the services we now take for granted such as health, housing, education and other welfare services were unknown or only a remote possibility in 1890. The book is an interesting read because it takes you back to pre-federation Australia, and it is comforting that the issues from the past such as tax reform remain a perennial source of debate.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

9781876861247

xiii, 225 p. ; 24 cm