Ed Dodson responding...
>SHANN TURNBULL:
> "I accept the critiques made of the current form of
>
capitalism by Karl Marx, Henry George and Major
> Douglas but not their
centralized solutions."
> [BILL RYAN] Without speaking for Marx or George, who
I
> abhor--I don't accept their critiques at all, what
> "centralized solution"
did Douglas propose? Perhaps
> you will tell us.
Ed Dodson Here:
The great distinction between the theoretical principles of Henry George vs.
Karl Marx is that George wrote in support of what is best thought of as a labor
and capital goods theory of private property, and a demand theory of value. Thus,
he argued against the confiscation of production (or its monetary equivalent) by
taxation. Where he and Marx agreed was that the rental value of land is society's
legitimate claim on production (because this value does not come into existence
as the result of individual labor or the investment in capital goods. It must
also be said, to differentiate Henry George from Marx, that George was not a
statist or an advocate of centralized economic planning. Ralph Borsodi, one of
the 20th century's great decentralist activists, argued that the adoption of
George's proposals would facilitate the establishment of self-sustaining
communities. Max Hirsch, whose book *Democracy vs. Socialism* published early in
the 20th century is viewed by many as one of the most powerful statements against
socialism ever written; Hirsch was a close collaborator with Henry George.
****
> SHANN TURNBULL:
> "This lesson is also an argument against a
> centralized
single tax on land or central banking
> instead of local communities
establishing their own
> financial arrangements."
> [BILL RYAN] The Single Tax is indeed nonsense, but
> central banking is what
we in fact have. Douglas did
> not advocate central banking but methods to deal
with
> its reality.
Ed Dodson here:
One can argue against the moral basis for the community collection of location
rent on whatever basis (e.g., to the victor goes the spoils, theft when supported
by law establishes precedent, or whoever got to a place on the earth first its is
rightful owner, or whatever other argument one posits to counter the principle
that the earth is the birthright of all persons, equally). One can also argue
that even if communities do collect the full rental value of locations that this
revenue stream will be insufficient to pay for the costs of all public goods and
services (a challenge that is, when offered, based on static rather than dynamic
variables). To state "The Single Tax is indeed nonsense" suggests you have
decided there is no room left in your thinking for ideas that do not conform with
what you believe to be true. Henry George, himself, stressed that ending land
monopoly by this method of full public collection of rent was not a panaccea.
This was a core component of the jsut society; but there were many other issues
to consider and address (e.g., the system of money, banking and credit, as well
as of the regulations affecting trade between people of differing nations).
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