Henry George
Gilded Age Activity
Define
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land. He inspired the economic philosophy known asGeorgism, whose main tenet is that people should own what they create, but that everything found in nature, most importantly the value of land, belongs equally to all humanity.
Detail
- Some of George's earliest articles to gain him fame were on his opinion that Chinese immigration, much of it in the form of the Coolie Trade, should be restricted.Although he thought that there might be some situations in which immigration restriction would no longer be necessary and admitted his first analysis of the issue of immigration was "crude"
- An estimated 100,000 people attended his funeral on Sunday, October 30, 1897
- George's influence has ranged widely across the political spectrum. He is claimed as an intellectual influence by many libertarian andprogressive figures. A large number of famous individuals, both historical and contemporary, claim inspiration from his ideas.