Spencer Heath's
Series
Spencer Heath Archive
Item 2220
Review of CM&A published in Balanced Living, Vol. 14 No. 2
March 1958
Citadel, Market and Altar, by Spencer Heath; pp. 243; 1957, $6.00 from Science of Society, 1502 Montgomery Rd. Baltimore, Md.
Reviewed by M.J. Loomis
This excellent book needs a wide reading — especially by people concerned for the growth of freedom and individual responsibility and the peaceful development of society. It stems from, and develops, a new-old concept of land and contractual relationships. Would that I had given attention to Mr. Heath’s ideas long ago! I might have, except … (To make clear the reason, requires some information on the author and the reviewer).
When I began to look critically at the world and ask questions about how to improve it (not until after college) I entered what proved to be a series of study-and-action adventures. The first was in religion. When the big depression of the 30s occurred, I was teaching religious education. To my dismay, I realized that I had no insight into, nor answer for, the wretched conditions of those days. Nor did any of the leaders of religion I knew and read. So I went into another movement — the cooperatives. I studied and worked hard at it. Soon I began to see that theirs was only a partial contribution to economic stability. By accident, in the late 30s, I found myself in a course on fundamental economics; text Henry George’s Progress and Poverty.
Light from Henry George
I found George’s book difficult, mostly because it required a shift in my thinking. Contrary to my college teaching, Progress and Poverty put land and capital in different categories. Why was this? Letters flew back and forth between me and my college profs. on this subject. But George’s logic began to take root. Against the positions of my former profs., I finally saw the “truth” as George saw it: Land was different from man-made wealth; the rent of land was not produced by individual holders of land, but by the activity of people jointly. What more logical conclusions than George’s, that land-rent should be collected and used by the government in lieu of taxes? Thus, unearned increment would not produce a wealthy class; everyone would keep his own wages, and economic imbalance and depression impossible. With these ideas now firmly entrenched, I landed with both feet in the Georgist camp!
In the late 30s, in the New York George School I was introduced to a man, who in mind, manner and appearance was “every inch a gentleman.” This was Spencer Heath, and a most interesting conversation followed. “No,” smiled Mr. Heath, “I am not Georgist.” I wasn’t wise enough to see just where he differed. And why bother? Since George was right, of course Mr. Heath must be wrong.
How Open A Closed Mind?
In the following years I received from Mr. Heath essays on esthetics, and original Christmas cards of exquisite wording and printing. I wrote him dissertations on homesteading and normal living. But never much discussion of economics. Finally, late last year came his Citadel, Market and Altar, with reviews exclaiming over his imaginative concept of a really free society. One of our guests read it, and laid it aside with the comment, “Mr. Heath wants to revive feudalism!”
I was too busy re-examining my ideas about government and maturing, to get into Mr. Heath’s book. I was trying to think with Don Werkheiser through a society of voluntary associations to re-place government. Often I would ask, “But how would one deal with the rent of land in a voluntary society? Isn’t a government necessary to collect economic rent?”
So these questions were near the surface when I started Mr. Heath’s new book. Now I found it exciting, neither fascist or feudalist. He explains a way for users and holders of land to provide public services, with people contracting for what they want, with the cost of these services covered by the rent of land. Those who say “Georgism is socialism,” or Georgists who are troubled by the need (in their system) to turn to a coercive agent (government) to allocate land sites and collect rent, will welcome Mr. Heath’s book. They will enjoy seeing how he thinks the citadel (government) can give way to a contractual market and advance the arts and culture (altar). Almost any reader will find it a test of his openness of mind.
Metadata
Title | Book - 2220 |
Collection Name | Spencer Heath Archive |
Series | Book |
Box number | 15:2181-2410 |
Document number | 2220 |
Date / Year | 1958-03-01 |
Authors / Creators / Correspondents | M. J. Loomis |
Description | Review of CM&A published in Balanced Living, Vol. 14 No. 2 |
Keywords | CMA Review |