Harmonious Tax Reform

But who among us could lay claim to the sun or its light for his own?

Further, what if one could claim exclusive use of the sunlight to detriment of his or her neighbor, and his claim on the sunlight could eventually be used to lay claim to even more sunlight? Further, if none could claim the sun, yet it were possible to consume it, how quickly would its light be blotted out like the buffalo on the American plains?

Sounds ridiculous, right? Yet isn't that the exact thing that is done for land? Try to keep an open mind.

What?

In light of the increasing calls for guaranteed income on the Left and calls to reel in 'property' taxes on the Right, it is time to revisit Thomas Paine's plan, at least conceptually, for those on the Left and the Right. The plan harmonizes both Left and Right perspectives reducing unnecessary waste on political fighting and channeling it to productive use.

Consider his quotes as follows:

“The present state of civilization is as odious as it is unjust…The contrast of affluence and wretchedness continually meeting and offending the eye, is like dead and living bodies chained together.”

“Man did not make the earth, and though he had a natural right to occupy it, he had no right to locate as his property in perpetuity any part of it; neither did the Creator of the earth open a land-office, from whence the first title deeds should issue.”

Thus, “Every proprietor, therefore of cultivated lands, owes to the community a ground rent (for I know of no better term to express the idea)... Each individual attaining the age of 21, should receive the sum of fifteen pounds sterling, as compensation in part, for the loss of his or her natural in heritage, by the introduction of land property…and the sum of ten pounds per annum, during life, to every person now living, of the age of fifty years, and to all others as they shall arrive at that age.”

"But the earth in its natural state, as before said, is capable of supporting but a small number of inhabitants compared with what it is capable of doing in a cultivated state. And as it is impossible to separate the improvement made by cultivation from the earth itself, upon which that improvement is made, the idea of landed property arose from that parable connection; but it is nevertheless true, that it is the value of the improvement, only, and not the earth itself, that is individual property.

Every proprietor, therefore, of cultivated lands, owes to the community a ground-rent (for I know of no better term to express the idea) for the land which he holds; and it is from this ground-rent that the fund proposed in this plan is to issue."

• See: Agrarian Justice by Thomas Paine
• Consider: Locke's treatise on property.
• Consider: What is Land Value Tax?
• Consider:The idea of property

Why

A fairness starting point for those entering this world.

How

For a more detailed discussion see this video series. Many taxation systems may employ an exemption system and the land value tax could and has incorporated exemptions on the basis of homesteading or agricultural usage - this may mitigate the negatives of this system.

Examples of Success?

Singapore laid the foundation of the land value tax in its system and appears to have reaped the rewards.

Challenges

All systems have their challenges, here are a couple for the LVT.

• Some segments of the population may spend their inheritance on frivolous living and there is the issue of derivatives financial instruments.
• There may need to be homestead or other exemptions, similar to how 'unimproved' food is exempted in many sales tax systems.

Action Steps

A Facebook group has been created for those who support this ideal.