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Unlike food, land simply exists. That's why rents are so abhorrent. You are taxed by nobility simply because its theirs, not because they render any service. Fo

Unlike food, land simply exists. That's why rents are so abhorrent. You are taxed by nobility simply because its theirs, not because they render any service. For food, you are paying because someone had to perform labor for you. Land can be parceled out using any system people can devise. Rent is completely artificial. Strangely, the people that do nothing for you charge FAR more than the people who hunt for you. An interesting metric to consider is how much would at-cost rent would be if land was free and only construction, repairs, and utilities needed to be paid for. If you run the numbers over the lifespan of a building, you'll be surprised.

djbebs 6y ago
If you'd like you're welcome to lobby for the homestead act again. That would solve your lack of land without having to violate other peoples rights
- tehjoker 6y ago
  The homestead act was part of westward expansion. The free "unclaimed" land (it was Native American land) provided a relief valve for the American system. When the poor became too uppity, the government would provide them with an escape valve of free land and adventure. When we finally reached California, that escape valve disappeared. What you claim are rights, I dispute. The ability to control other people's living situation and extract rents is not a natural right. If anything, it's an abomination.
Rury 6y ago
Rents are not completely artificial, and you do get services for paying them. Part of it goes to paying property taxes to fund things like 911 services, local schools, libraries, public parks, sewers. Other part is for maintaining the property, things like roofs and furnaces eventually deteriorate and need to be replaced. Your landlord will replace those things for you, but it comes at a cost and it's called rent. You could argue you don't get your moneys worth, but you do get services for them...

djbebs 6y ago

If you'd like you're welcome to lobby for the homestead act again. That would solve your lack of land without having to violate other peoples rights

tehjoker 6y ago
The homestead act was part of westward expansion. The free "unclaimed" land (it was Native American land) provided a relief valve for the American system. When the poor became too uppity, the government would provide them with an escape valve of free land and adventure. When we finally reached California, that escape valve disappeared. What you claim are rights, I dispute. The ability to control other people's living situation and extract rents is not a natural right. If anything, it's an abomination.

Rury 6y ago

Rents are not completely artificial, and you do get services for paying them. Part of it goes to paying property taxes to fund things like 911 services, local schools, libraries, public parks, sewers. Other part is for maintaining the property, things like roofs and furnaces eventually deteriorate and need to be replaced. Your landlord will replace those things for you, but it comes at a cost and it's called rent. You could argue you don't get your moneys worth, but you do get services for them...