Spencer Heath Archive

Item 2100

Pencilings in the margin of Henry George, Progress and Poverty, 52^nd Anniversary Edition. London: The Henry George Society of Great Britain, 1931

No date

 

Original is missing.

 

 

 

Page 112/ “It is, further, a matter of fact, that in every community which has passed the most primitive stage some portion of the produce is taken in taxation and consumed by government. But it is not necessary, in seeking the laws of distribution..” [At this point Heath marks in the margin, “exchange.”] “..to take this into consideration. We may consider taxation either as not existing, or as by so much reducing the produce.” (Emphasis by Heath)

 

It does exist, and it does not reduce the existing produce. Taxation kills exchange (distribution) and thus stops further production.

See page 137.

 

 

Page 164/ “The misapprehension to which I now refer, and which, to a proper understanding of the effect of increase of population upon the distribution of wealth, it is necessary to clear up, is the presumption, expressed or implied in all the current reasoning upon the subject of rent in con­nection with population, that the recourse to lower points of production involves a smaller aggregate produce in propor­tion to the labour expended,”  (Emphasis by Heath)

 

It is higher productivity that creates rent, not lower.

Land does not produce value. Only exchange of services does that. All value is exchange value. Land without services has no value.

 

 

Page 295/

 

A tax on rent

when wisely spent

Will make rent more

than paid before.

Land value tax will reduce rent

Unless the tax

is wisely spent.