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.
The People of the Abyss (1903) is a book by Jack London (1876-1916) about life in the East End of London in 1902. He wrote this first-hand account by living in the East End for several months, sometimes staying in workhouses or sleeping on the streets. The conditions he experienced and wrote about were the same as those endured by an estimated 500,000 of the contemporary London poor. Decades later, this book inspired George Orwell to write Down and Out in Paris and London.
A bit late to be a contemporary of Henry George, Jack London lived mainly in northern California and was a passionate advocate of workers’ rights. Both London and George were members of Bohemian Grove.
(source: Wikipedia)
The People of the Abyss is available free on line as text from Gutenberg, and as an audiobook from LibriVox, as well as in hardcopy from various libraries and book dealers.
Political Economy Book Club is open to everyone wishing to participate in the discussion, without charge altho donations are appreciated to help pay for rent and snacks. Convenor Bob Matter appreciates an RSVP from those planning to attend.
Do we need to suffer like this (and/or pay someone else) in order to fund government? In this presentation, HGS instructor Bob Jene looks at what it costs to collect income taxes. The direct cost to the government of operating the Internal Revenue Service is only a small part, as the burden put on the taxpayer, and the diversion of effort from productive uses, should also be considered.
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.