Would a ‘Single Tax’ Fix Income Inequality? Holy Cross History Professor Opines

The late 19th century "single tax" vision of political economist Henry George, who proposed the exclusive use of a land-value tax, is seen by some economics as a way to combat increasing wealth disparities today.

Ed O'Donnell, associate professor of history at Holy Cross and author of the book "Henry George and the Crisis of Inequality: Progress and Poverty in the Gilded Age" (Columbia University Press, June 2015) told The Atlantic in a recent interview that today's democratic-socialist and socialist movements in the U.S can be traced to George, and his influential book "Progress and Poverty."

"At the heart of all of it," O'Donnell said, "lies the powerful idea George articulated that America is more than individualism—that in the end, amid great surges of economic growth and technological advancement and great wealth, we’re [still] nothing without attending to the common good."

To read the full article, go to TheAtlantic.com.