Wednesday, August 10, 2005

simplifying the land rent message

Land rent is a simple idea (you own the wealth you create, and society owns the wealth that it creates). But I think it may still be too complicated. I want a simple slogan, something that everyone can see is obviously right. Maybe I should emphasize property = causality instead. Once we accept that property = causality, land rent naturally follows.As a slogan, the idea that property = causality has a number of advantages over land rent:
  1. It is very simple idea
  2. The equation is immediately obvious
  3. For most people, property is a positive image. For most people, rent is a negative image.
  4. The other word, causality, suggests a scientific approach. I differ from other Georgists in my emphasis on a cold, calculating foundation (most Georgists rely on "self evident" ideas of sharing)
  5. It clearly defines my relationship with Libertarians. I agree with everything they say, except their apparent vagueness on the central topic: what is property?
  6. It opens up new possibilities for how to promote land rent: the key idea of property = causality helps to simplify and improve all laws. First, it defines justice. Second, it implies the need for both transparency (so we can work out who caused what) and competition (preventing others from competing is a negative form of causality.)
  7. It is truly objective. It does not assume that some causes are "good" and some are "bad." It just allows us to decide what causes stuff, and thereby gives us greater freedom to choice the world we want.
  8. I find it easier to relate to the news, and easier to explain to others.

I won't change the site title just yet, I'll mull over the idea for a bit longer. The word "causality" might need tweaking. But I am minded to change...

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