Scottish League for the Taxation of Land Values
Encyclopedia
The Scottish League for the Taxation of Land Values
is an independent national campaigning organisation that advocates radical reform of Scotland's system of taxation. Known as The Scottish League, the organisation advances the programme of the nineteenth century American social reformer Henry George
. The League publishes books and other material, and is a participant in the ongoing public debate over the future of Scotland’s land and tax system.
The Scottish League was constituted in 1890, emerging out of the complex reorganisation that year of the Scottish Land Restoration League
. It campaigned vigorously during the public and parliamentary debate surrounding the Land Values (Scotland) Bill at the turn of the twentieth century. That Bill was initiated at the League’s request, and intended to be prototype UK legislation. Viscount Ridley
, speaking in the House of Lords in 1908 (before the reforming 1911 Parliament Act
), at the second reading of the ill-starred Bill, claimed that:
The Bill was “passed by the House of Commons by a great majority in 1907, but was rejected by the Lords”.
The Scottish League was also firmly engaged in the legislative process surrounding the 1931 Finance Bill, which it came to repudiate. Sir John Simon
, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and future Chancellor of the Exchequer, addressed the Commons:
The Scottish League has been actively involved in Glasgow City Council’s 2009 initiative to reform local taxation on the basis of land values.
The Scottish League was one-time proprietor (1904–1907) of the modern periodical Land&Liberty
, published then under the title Land Values
.
is an independent national campaigning organisation that advocates radical reform of Scotland's system of taxation. Known as The Scottish League, the organisation advances the programme of the nineteenth century American social reformer Henry George
Henry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
. The League publishes books and other material, and is a participant in the ongoing public debate over the future of Scotland’s land and tax system.
The Scottish League was constituted in 1890, emerging out of the complex reorganisation that year of the Scottish Land Restoration League
Scottish Land Restoration League
The Scottish Land Restoration League was a Georgist political party in Scotland.In the 1880s, enclosure was still in process in the Scottish Highlands, and resistance to it often received support from radicals around Britain and Ireland...
. It campaigned vigorously during the public and parliamentary debate surrounding the Land Values (Scotland) Bill at the turn of the twentieth century. That Bill was initiated at the League’s request, and intended to be prototype UK legislation. Viscount Ridley
Viscount Ridley
Viscount Ridley is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1900 for the Conservative politician Sir Matthew White Ridley, 5th Baronet, Home Secretary from 1895 to 1900. He was made Baron Wensleydale, of Blagdon and Blyth in the County of Northumberland, at the same time,...
, speaking in the House of Lords in 1908 (before the reforming 1911 Parliament Act
Parliament Act 1911
The Parliament Act 1911 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is constitutionally important and partly governs the relationship between the House of Commons and the House of Lords which make up the Houses of Parliament. This Act must be construed as one with the Parliament Act 1949...
), at the second reading of the ill-starred Bill, claimed that:
Behind this Bill is the Scottish League for the Taxation of Land Values, and the real support that the Bill gets is from gentlemen who think it would be to the advantage of this country to tax all land values out of existence.... I ask your Lordships to reject the Bill because I believe it to be unfair, incomplete, and impracticable, and that no amount of amendment or modification could affect the principle of the Bill.... It is begotten by fanatical societies out of an ignorant Government; it stands...unsound and vicious.
The Bill was “passed by the House of Commons by a great majority in 1907, but was rejected by the Lords”.
The Scottish League was also firmly engaged in the legislative process surrounding the 1931 Finance Bill, which it came to repudiate. Sir John Simon
John Simon, 1st Viscount Simon
John Allsebrook Simon, 1st Viscount Simon GCSI GCVO OBE PC was a British politician who held senior Cabinet posts from the beginning of the First World War to the end of the Second. He is one of only three people to have served as Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Chancellor of the Exchequer,...
, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and future Chancellor of the Exchequer, addressed the Commons:
Let us consider whether after three weeks of existence this Bill is in a very happy condition…. We must not suppose that the cursing comes only from the critics, who might be thought to be naturally opposed to this system of taxation. I hold in my hand a communication from the Scottish League for the Taxation of Land Values. I read it with interest, because we know that if one could look anywhere for the pure milk of the word on this subject it would be to the Scottish League for the Taxation of Land Values. This is what it says: "The present proposals of the Chancellor of the Exchequer will penalise the landowners who are putting their land to the best possible use just as much as it punishes the owners who are holding land idle, or making a partial use of it. This in itself condemns the present proposals, and marks the scheme as a political stunt “.
The Scottish League has been actively involved in Glasgow City Council’s 2009 initiative to reform local taxation on the basis of land values.
The Scottish League was one-time proprietor (1904–1907) of the modern periodical Land&Liberty
Land&Liberty
Land&Liberty is a quarterly magazine of popular political economics: its focus is the relationship between land and natural resource rights and 21st century economic policy...
, published then under the title Land Values
Land Values
Land Values was the monthly newspaper precursor of the contemporary magazine Land&Liberty. The periodical started life in June 1894 as The Single Tax, changing its name to Land Values in June 1902....
.