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?

If so, does Thomas Paine's plan from almost 200 years ago merit consideration in light of the increasing calls for guaranteed income and calls to reel in 'property' taxes? Does it harmonize the so-called Left and Right?

"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."

One challenge is that some segments of the population may spend their inheritance on frivolous living and there is the issue of derivatives financial instruments, but none the less, I think he makes some valid points:

https://www.ssa.gov/history/paine4.html

Shared with my list of political posters on both sides. Click anger if you want off the list.

What

“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."

Agrarian Justice by Thomas Paine

• Consider: Locke's treatise on property.
• Consider: What is Land Value Tax?
• Consider:The idea of property

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.

Challenges

One challenge is that some segments of the population may spend their inheritance on frivolous living and there is the issue of derivatives financial instruments.

For additional consideration think on these quotes by those providing influence and inspiration into the foundations of the Constitution adopted by the United States: