Mark Wadsworth: James Higham on "property rights"

Monday, 18 January 2010

JH has done an excellent summary of the issues, and asks "What's the solution to all this?"

Replacing all taxes with Land Value Tax, maybe?

AntiCitizenOne said...: Why not an IPVT too?; 18 January 2010 at 15:08
Anonymous said...: It's amazing that people are still debating enclosure hundreds of years later. Maybe time to get over it?

LVT is basically a tax on assets rather than transactions, picking on a particular type of asset, namely land. Property rights are guaranteed by the State, not only in the case of land, but in the case of any other asset. Taking assets away from people is no more moral than taking the fruits of their labour.

What's more, I can't see any difference in principle between taxing land and say taxing the broadcasting spectrum, or landing slots at Heathrow, or any other asset whose supply is constrained naturally.; 18 January 2010 at 16:12
AntiCitizenOne said...: Property Rights DO take assets away from people.

Government is a rights producer and those owning rights should pay for them.; 18 January 2010 at 16:43

Monday, 18 January 2010