Since earliest civilizations, humans have recognized that food is a product of farmland (and, yes, pastureland, fisheries, etc) and have managed to cultivate enough land to feed themselves. Yet today we routinely convert farmland to urban use. American Farmland Trust (AFT) seek to ensure continued agricultural use of some land by buying development rights from farmers, and try to make farms more viable by facilitating community supported agriculture. The geoist fiscal reform provides an alternative way to encourage more conservative and productive use of all land. With additional material from YES! magazine about the slow food revolution, this presentation by HGS instructor Bob Jene suggests that an alliance between AFT and geoists might benefit both.
Guided by HGS instructor Bob Jene, this tour starts with a look at the City of Chicago amenities on the lakefront in Grant Park, and their effect on land values in neighboring private properties especially along Prairie and Indiana Avenues south of Roosevelt. This is the museum campus area with a mixed style of housing. We continue down to the Central Station Area where there are some vintage mansions on Prairie Avenue. We will stop to look at assessor’s data on the value of units, properties and parking spaces and how they relate to location.
Resurrection (1899)
By Leo Tolstoy
This late 19th-century novel about nobleman Dmitri Ivanovich Nekhlyudov’s efforts at redemption after a life of sin is Tolstoy’s last major novel before his death in 1910. The readers will have a complex relationship with the tormented protagonist and his desperate attempts at redemption and forgiveness, since Nekhlyudov’s misguided decisions and youthful errors are often not so dissimilar from our own. Resurrection is a scathing exposition of the myriad prejudices of the man-made justice system and the hypocrisy of the establishment, while it also explores the economic philosophy of Georgism – of which Tolstoy had become a strong advocate toward the end of his life. [from the Culture Trip]
Political Economy Book Club discussions are open to everyone interested, without charge, and the text (in English translation) is available free from various sources including archive.org, who also offer a free audiobook. There is also a more recent translation by Anthony Briggs, which can be purchased or licensed in various formats and is available in some public libraries. Any questions about the PEBC may be directed to Convenor Bob Matter,
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.
Because it’s important for concerned people to understand the basis of Henry George’s proposal, we have a special offer for college and graduate students in economics, public policy, and related fields. A generous supporter of the Henry George School will pay you $40 to participate in this two-hour program (90 minute presentation plus 30 minutes of discussion and questionnaire). You must bring your school identification card. If you are concerned about the causes of poverty you will find this presentation to be of interest. The session is also open to faculty.
Checks will be mailed. Henry George School reserves the right to limit the number of attendees.