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Henry George is considered one of the last [[w:Classical_economics|classical economists]], largely building on the foundation of [[File:Clib.png]] [[Classical Liberalism|Classical Liberals]] such as [[w:Adam_Smith|Adam Smith]] and [[w:John_Stuart_Mill|John Stuart Mill]]. It was observed by them that a tax on what they called "ground-rents" and "the ordinary rent of land", the [[w:Economic_rent|economic rent]] from location and natural resources, was the most just and efficient form of taxation, and this notion was followed by Henry George to its logical conclusion: replacing all other taxes with a tax on ground/land rents, i.e. a [[w:Land_value_tax|land value tax]].
The movement itself is said to be much older than George, and a long list of economists, political figures, agitators, and land reformers are considered fore-runners: From the [[w:Gracchi|Gracchi brothers]] of the [[File:Res_Publica.png]] [[Roman Republicanism|Roman Republic]] to the [[w:Diggers|Diggers]] of England, the [[File:Physiocracypix.png]] [[Physiocracy|Physiocrats]] of France, and other [[File:Enlightenment.png]] [[Enlightenment Thought]] thinkers such as [[File:Paine.png]] [[w:Thomas_Paine|Thomas Paine]] with his [[w:Agrarian_Justice|Agrarian Justice]] and the concept of a [[w:Citizen%27s_dividend|citizen's dividend]]. Several [[File:Farm.png]] [[Agrarianism|Agrarian]] [[w:List_of_peasant_revolts|revolts]] around the world also reflect the struggle against private enclosure of common land and disproportionate taxation (such as [[w:Poll_tax|poll tax]]) upon tenants, the poor, and working people - with tax exemption and other privileges for the landed nobility and rich landowners. Henry George is, for the Georgists, the pinnacle of this movement for land reform and economic justice. Some modern proponents prefer to use the term "Geoism" to broaden the scope. Coincidentally "Geo-" in both cases comes from the Ancient Greek word for earth/land.
[[File:Georgistcat.png|thumb|222px|[https://hgarchives.org/historical-collections-2/the-henry-george-birthplace-portrait-textile-and-artifact-collection/single-tax-campaign-buttons-circa-1897/ Campaign button from the 1890s]. [https://lvtfan.typepad.com/lvtfans_blog/2020/05/seeing-the-cat.html Seeing the Cat]]]
Historically Georgism spread around the whole world, with important proponents in the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.
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