Events

Originating as a field trip for students completing our Progress & Poverty course, this stroll thru downtown Chicago examines some of the ways that average people, and the community as a whole, are deprived of their just earnings. Among other things we’ll see who benefits from the expensive infrastructure and “economic development” projects, how Thomas Jefferson wanted Chicago to fund its public schools, what happens when a well-located building burns down, and how land speculators get productive workers to pay their taxes. Expect to walk about 2 km, maybe we’ll stop for snacks (individual settlement) along the way.

A $10 donation is requested from those who are not recent or current HGS students or donors, but nobody will be excluded due to lack of funds. You can make your donation by credit card here, or bring cash or a check.

Originating as a field trip for students completing our Progress & Poverty course, this stroll thru downtown Chicago examines some of the ways that average people, and the community as a whole, are deprived of their just earnings. Among other things we’ll see who benefits from the expensive infrastructure and “economic development” projects, how Thomas Jefferson wanted Chicago to fund its public schools, what happens when a well-located building burns down, and how land speculators get their taxes paid by productive workers. Hardcopy sourced notes will be provided. Expect to walk about 2 km; maybe we’ll stop for snacks (individual settlement) along the way.

A $10 donation is requested from those who are not recent or current HGS students or donors, but nobody will be excluded due to lack of funds. If you have a paypal account, you can make your donation by credit card using the link below, or better yet bring cash or a check.

An injudicious tax offers a great temptation to smuggling. But the penalties of smuggling must rise in proportion to the temptation. The law, contrary to all the ordinary principles of justice, first creates the temptation, and then punishes those who yield to it…

— Adam Smith

Book V of Adam Smith’s classic is entitled “Of the Revenue of the Sovereign or Commonwealth,” includes the above as well as many thoughtful passages about what we nowadays call public finance.  Our Political Economy Book Club  will discuss this final part of Wealth of Nations on Wednesday, November 12.  You can download or read the book on line from several sources, borrow it from many public libraries, or purchase a copy inexpensively.

For further information or to let us know you’re coming, email PEBC coordinator Bob Matter or call 312 450 2906.

Recent books by Scott Baker and Tom Tresser (ed) assert that America is not Broke and Chicago is not Broke. They’re right, of course, and neither is Illinois. Using principles outlined by Henry George, this presentation will show how the community could choose to collect the value it cre­ates, funding its needs without discouraging productive work.

Recent books by Scott Baker and Tom Tresser (ed) assert that America is not Broke and Chicago is not Broke. They’re right, of course, and neither is Illinois. Using principles outlined by Henry George, this presentation will show how the community could choose to collect the value it cre­ates, funding its needs without discouraging productive work, and without burdening the earning power of the most needy.

This is an update of material originally presented in May of this year. While subsequent developments have transferred some of the economic distress from governments to citizens, there is no indication that the politicians or other interest groups involved admit any understanding of the fundamental economic principles described here.

“The purpose of Newspeak was not only to provide a medium of expression for the world-view and mental habits proper to the devotees of IngSoc, but to make all other modes of thought impossible. It was intended that when Newspeak had been adopted once and for all and Oldspeak forgotten, a heretical thought – that is, a thought diverging from the principles of IngSoc – should be literally unthinkable, at least so far as thought is dependent on words.“

— George Orwell

Something like this has happened to the field of economics, says Dan Sullivan.  Terms which had clear meanings to Adam Smith, J S Mill, and other classical economists have got distorted and redefined– or obliterated–  to prevent serious discussion of economic issues. Going back to the roots of political economy, Dan suggests the real point of a proper science of economics would be to efficiently satisfy the desires of the people, both individually and collectively.

Dan will help us distinguish between “rights” and “privileges,” “investments” and “acquisitions”,  and several distinct concepts that all get called “wealth.” He’ll address the difference between “means of production” and “capital,” and differentiate “human capital” from modern slavery.

You can understand today’s economic issues such as minimum wages, tax policy, international trade, housing costs, and unemployment, but only if you have a clear idea of the fundamental terms.  These terms can be readily comprehended by ordinary people and do not lead to any particular “left” or “right” public policy, but they facilitate informed communication.

There will of course be time for questions and discussion.

Based in Pittsburgh, Dan Sullivan is a popular speaker on economic issues, and Director of Saving Communities

Recent books by Scott Baker and Tom Tresser (ed) assert that America is not Broke and Chicago is not Broke. They’re right, of course, and neither is Illinois.  Using principles outlined by Henry George, this presentation will show how the community fails to collect its legitimate earnings, instead placing barriers against productive work and making it unnecessarily difficult for working people to earn a living.

This is an update of material originally presented in May of this year. While subsequent developments have transferred some of the economic distress from governments to citizens, there is no indication that the politicians or other interest groups involved admit any understanding of the fundamental economic principles described here.  Without this understanding, even honest government couldn’t put Illinois on a path to prosperity and freedom.

This Henry George School presentation is sponsored by the Chicago Ethical Humanist Circle, is free and open to the public. The Library is three blocks from the Western Brown Line CTA station.

Cook County isn’t broke either.  Neither is Chicago. 

In this session you will learn about the legitimate earnings that our communities generate every day, and how collecting these earnings would allow removal of barriers to productive work which make it unnecessarily difficult for working people to earn a living.

There’s plenty of waste and fraud throughout government, but that’s not the focus here.  Even an honest and efficient government requires revenue, and the source of that revenue determines whether we can have prosperity and freedom, or — something else.

PREREGISTRATION MANDATORY.  This program is free, but due to building policies  you must pre-register by email or by phoning us at 312 450-2906.

Cook County isn’t broke either.  Neither is Chicago. 

In this session you will learn about the legitimate earnings that our communities generate every day, and how collecting these earnings would allow removal of barriers to productive work which make it unnecessarily difficult for working people to earn a living.

There’s plenty of waste and fraud throughout government, but that’s not the focus here.  Even an honest and efficient government requires revenue, and the source of that revenue determines whether we can have prosperity and freedom, or — something else.

PREREGISTRATION MANDATORY.  This program is free, but due to building policies  you must pre-register by email or by phoning us at 312 450-2906.

Michael Belsky, executive director Center for Municipal Finance at Harris School University of Chicago, will discuss ongoing research into the state and local pension crisis in Illinois.

Registration is required for this free event.