To Fred Foldvary's impressive list of land-tax champions and sympathizers,
we may add John Locke, Leon Walras (fils et p?re), Hermann-Henri Gossen,
Harold Groves, James Mill, Dick Netzer, Harold Hotelling, Wm Vickrey,
Nicolaus Tideman, and ... Fred Foldvary, in whose latest article some of
those names appear.

 

Deirdre's heroes Knight, Coase, and Buchanan are not on the list. Buchanan's
reasoning, however, includes a backhanded endorsement. He writes that the
best tax is one with the most excess burden, in order to minimize the
public's willingness to tolerate taxes of any kind. His earlier writings
show clear understanding that the George tax has no excess burden.

 

Let us juxtapose Buchanan's view with the more common anti-George view,
which is that the base of a George tax is too slim to support government in
the style to which we are accustomed. Damned if it yields money, damned if
it doesn't. Hmmm - is there an objective referee in this match?

 

 
Mason Gaffney