LVT - universally applied nonsense

[marki_brown]

Credible advocates of LVT would say that only large landowners (and 
those owning property above a certain high value - say in central 
London) would be subject to tax.  So, despite numerous postings on 
this subject, some people still mistakingly believe that subsistence 
farmers would be taxed just for owning a few acres, which is pure 
tripe. Those people really should read responses to posts they have 
already written on this subject (Tony).

The Common Agricultural policy needs to be scrapped, yes! The extent 
of any land-tax policy needn't be so across the board, especially 
since the requirement to tax even the largest landholdings in order 
to break them up would not be that great if the state slashed the 
amount of subsidy rich landowners get from the public purse.

Land Value Tax above a certain land acreage is, however, the obvious 
policy to make sure land doesn't go back into larger consolidated 
holdings if, after redistribution, those new landowners sold off land 
to make a fast buck and so, contributed to a renewed consolidation of 
market-share by a small number of buyers.

Re: Property rights, Winstanley's fine sentiments aside, back in the 
21st century, in the absence of property rights, the only obvious 
alternative option would be state ownership. That is an entirely 
unsatisfactory option. Or, perhaps community ownership. That could be 
satisfactory, subject to clear planning guidelines from central and 
regional government guidance.

However, at the end of the day, the average smallholder likes a few 
acres he/she can call his/her own. Whaetevr, the philosophical 
agrument, there is no getting around this fact.

Mark


In diggers350 at yahoogroups.com, "Tony Gosling" <tony at r...> wrote:
> Dear Diggers,
> 
> The idea that subsistence farmers should be taxed for the land they 
hold
> is anathama to many on this list. As is the idea that a landowner 
should
> have to force land into production which he'd rather leave fallow.
> 
> That we should be taxed for the earth we need to play on, build our 
homes
> on, get fuel and raw materials from and grow our food on is 
abhorrent to
> many. And can be seen the thin end of the wedge of the most vile 
economic
> slavery.
> 
> So it'll come as a great relief to many of us Diggers that those who
> believe land tax is in any way related to the sort of land reform
> envisioned by Gerrard Winstanley, William Everard and the other 
Diggers
> back in 1649 have found somewhere else to discuss their 'economic 
miracle'
> 
> Winstanley called for nothing of the sort. He believed that land 
was the
> source of our economic wealth and dignity and that by ensuring every
> family, every individual in the country had access to land we, in 
this
> nation and beyond, could begin an unstoppable wave of true security 
(not
> the sort that locks and guns bring) which would sweep the land and 
the
> world.
> 
> He also believed that the buying and selling of anything should 
bring the
> death penalty. Which may sound extreme... but he called buying and 
selling
> the 'horrible cheating' which, of course, it is, with the 
monopolists of
> oil, housebuilding and supermarkets eroding small busineses and 
exploiting
> us for our basic human needs.
> 
> Gerrard Winstanley's vision was a simple one. A world without money 
and
> with us all sharing the land which was and is a free gift to 
mankind which
> ever way you look at it.
> 
> Taxing land in Britain today would be an unmitigated disaster. We 
already
> have a farming crisis and as marginal land became a financial burden
> farmers would be forced to sell to the wealthy, bringing about even 
more
> yuppification of the countryside. But maybe I should be discussing 
this on
> the new list for those turned on by LVT.
> 
> SEE BELOW
> 
> 
> From: <davewetzel at t...>
> 
> I'm emailing to inform you about the new Land Café where a lively 
discussion
> about land related issues takes place and hopefully helps those of 
us
> interested in land reform (especially land value taxation) to take 
better
> informed and more appropriate action.
> 
> If you are interested in these issues - you are warmly invited to 
join us.
> 
> If you wish to join the Landcafé go direct to:
> <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LandCafe>
> 
> If you are already a member pls let me know as I should not have 
included
> you in this mailing.
> 
> Dave
> Dave Wetzel
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> Tony Gosling - +44 117 944 6219
> mobile +44 7786 952037
> "Capitalism is institutionalised bribery" [TG]
> 
> All emails are 'cleartext' to the NSA.
> http://www.nsa.gov
> 
> http://www.evnuk.org.uk