This section was more intended as reading for those already familiar with Geonomics, but here's a brief intro if you're wondering what its all about.

This introduction incorporates my own biases. If you're interested in taking the issue seriously, you should look at Georgist web pages. But, its fine if you just want to get some sense of what these pages are about.

Genomics is concerned about economic privelege, the notion that someone can collect wealth through no effort. Of course, this is what happens with all investment, but in the case of investment, you are not consuming, and so some renumeration for not consuming is reasonable.

What is the issue seems to be if the return is not just the result of forestalled consumption, but is due to a return which is the result of other's efforts, or a gift of nature.

Land is considered the main source of unearned wealth. In owning land, you have control of a natural gift, and as the economy grows, so too does the value of the land, but not though any activity on your own part.

There are other cases which also represent an unearnt wealth - mining and satellite orbits for instance.

According to Genomics, this claiming of unearnt wealth is the source of much inequity and economic inefficiency. In order to correct it, a tax on the unimproved value of land is sought (and other similar situations, like satellite orbits). This "tax" is not considered a tax in the usual sense, because it is claiming the community's contribution rather than taking from the earnings of the individual.

Because of this, it is considered a fair "tax". This is one reason why public money should be sought from land value taxation, rather than other means.

However, Georgists make the point that tax on any other form of economic activity acts like a brake on the economy, while land value taxation does not. This is another reason why they prefer land value taxation - it does not "slow down" the economy like other taxes.

So, this is Geonomics. The idea that increases in land value are unearnt, and prompt collection by society. Making this is change is meant to cause significant improvements in society.

I differ on this. That's what the remaining pages are about.

For a start on Geonomics from the advocates' viewpoint, here's a start : The NSW Henry George Foundation