No Farms, No Food

Detail from photo by: t0msk (via Flickr)

Urban sprawl threatens to destroy much valuable farm land.  We will look at data from one of the leading national organizations trying to mitigate this damage, The American Farmland Trust (AFT). Among other things they buy development rights from farmland owners to ensure the land’s continued use in agriculture, and facilitate community supported agriculture, which makes family farms more viable. The Georgist fiscal reform  encourages more conservative and productive use of all land.

Presentation by HGS instructor Bob Jene, Wednesday November 16,  6 PM at 28 E Jackson #1004.  Free.  Information at: 312 362 9302.

Fiscal Stimulus?

Photo credit: Lord Jim via Flickr

What is the best policy to revive the economy and improve the incomes of working people? Bailing out insolvent banks, and asking them to lend more money? Taxes on consumption? Simplify the income tax and flatten the rates? Or just print a bunch of money?

HGS instructor Bob Jene knows the answer (which is “no”) and will explain how a real fiscal stimulus could work. Will the Real Fiscal Stimulus Please Stand Up?, Thursday, November 10, 6 PM, at 28 E. Jackson #1004.  It’s free, of course, donations welcome to help pay the rent. Need any more information? call Continue reading “Fiscal Stimulus?”

Economic Cycle Tour — Saturday

Photo Credit: Vincent Desjardins

This bicycle tour will look at the city parks developed on both banks of the Chicago River.  We will cycle through the intense development of the old Chicago Dock and Canal property on the north side of the river facilitated by the $35 million bascule bridge on Columbus Drive which made the property much more accessible.  This was all on the taxpayers’ dime.  Finally we will stop at Trump Tower before heading back. Bob Jene is your guide.

Bring your own bike to this free cycle tour which departs 28 E. Jackson at 1 PM on Saturday, October 22, 2011. For further information contact Bob Jene at 312 362 9302 or bobj@hgchicago.org.

Yes, you can still learn fundamentals of political economy this year

Many Occupy Chicago protesters already understand some basic principles
Henry George School photo

We have one more section of Progress & Poverty, Thursdays beginning November 17 (except Thanksgiving). See the schedule here and course description here. More sections will be offered in 2012, of course.

Another option is on-line instruction thru the Henry George Institute. HGI assigns an individual instructor for each student, and some of these instructors are the same folks who teach at various Henry George Schools. Individual tutorials in Chicago can also be arranged.

If geography is your constraint– you can’t get to downtown Chicago for classes– consider sponsoring a Progress & Poverty course in your neighborhood.  You secure a location and help promote the class.  We provide an instructor and materials, and can also furnish limited funds to defray site costs and local advertising. Contact us if you’d like to explore this option.

Invisible Robbery Tour– Saturday

photo credit: Chuck Metalitz

It’s not just traditional Chicago/Illinois corruption that robs working people of the wealth they make. Even squeaky-clean governments customarily allow a privileged few to levy a toll on the rest of us. This can’t be prevented in a democratic society as long as most of us don’t understand what we’re being robbed of.

Originally designed as a field trip for Progress & Poverty students, the Invisible Robbery tour is a guided walk around Chicago’s loop. You’ll see the value that you, all of us, create by our very presence. Then there’s the additional value that we pay for thru our taxes. We’ll see where it goes, consider where it could go, and note the potential.  We’ll also say hello to Occupy Chicago.

The Saturday October 15 tour departs 28 E Jackson #1004 at 1 PM, returns about 3. Dress for the weather, and expect to walk about a mile and a half. Tour guide is HGS instructor Chuck Metalitz. This Invisible Robbery Tour is still free. Details here, or call 312 362 9302.

If you’re rich, you probably stole it from us

Who made this worth $1.75 million?

Progress & Poverty, the basic introduction you need to understand where  Occupy* can lead us, starts this Wednesday, October 12, 6 PM at 28 E. Jackson.  As always, the first session is free, more info is here. Because the instructor for this section is Chicago real estate speculator George Menninger, the first session will be his presentation  “How I Made $1 million in Chicago Real Estate: I Stole if from You.”

 

Robin Hood: The Movie

Photo credit: Janet McKnight via Flickr

To be precise, Ridley Scott’s 2010 version (not the topiary version shown here).  Other than Robinson Crusoe, whose film we watched in August, is there any fictional/historical character who shows up more often in discussions of political/economic issues than Robin Hood? Curious Georgists go to this movie this afternoon (Saturday) 2 PM free, details.

What is Liberty?

Photo credit: Bev Sykes

PROCLAIM LIBERTY THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND UNTO ALL THE INHABITANTS THEREOF

Do you know what these words mean? Do you know their economic significance? You will know, if you take John Kuchta’s Poverty, Liberation, and Land Reform course, which starts at 6 PM today (Friday).  It meets every Friday (except November 25).  You can pre-register here, or just stop by at class time.  Questions? Call 312 362 9302 or email info@hgchicago.org.

Classes start THIS week

Our basic introductory Progress & Poverty course starts Monday (classic version) or Thursday (modern version). Poverty, Liberation, & Land Reform starts Friday. Our advanced course Corruption of Economics/History of Capital (requires prior completion of Progress & Poverty) starts Tuesday.

There will also be a Wednesday Progress & Poverty class starting the following week, October 12, and another Thursday section in November.

All of the above classes start at 6 PM, and are held at our main location, 28 E. Jackson. For more information, or to pre-register, click the “courses” tab and its subtabs on the left. Or, if you have questions, email or phone 312/362-9302.

The American Monetary Act

Monday, September 26, 6 PM at 28 E Jackson #1004.  Price: FREE.

Even Henry George recognized that a just and prosperous economy requires a proper system of money.  The American Monetary Institute has proposed the American Monetary Act (pdf) to address this issue. Bob Jene will examine this proposed Constitutional Amendment, and compare it with Henry George’s ideas on money, as documented in a talk on the subject by AMI President Steve Zarlenga.

For those interested in further discussion on the subject, it is still possible to register for AMI’s Monetary Reform Conference, in Chicago, Sept 29-Oct 2.