Chris,

Considerable difference between land and buildings.

Concentrate on how they get the wealth rather than to whom they
leave it.

Harry

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-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of
Christoph Reuss
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2003 5:18 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [Futurework] FW Basic Income sites

Arthur Cordell wrote:
> The fact that [BI] might be "something for nothing" might be
the barrier to
> acceptance and implementation, not its cost.

Capitalism as such gives "something for nothing" in the billions,
e.g. in
rents to heirs of land or houses. (*)  E.g. in Germany, most
people work
about 1-2 of 5 days per week only for this!  Nonetheless, few
people are
even aware of this fundamental injustice and its vast effects on
society.
It's a taboo issue.

(*)
Between 1949 and 1965, land prices in Germany rose by  DEM 100
Bn.,
the state subsidized house/apartment construction with DEM 100
Bn.,
and total state debt in 1965 was  ...**drum roll**...  DEM 100
Bn.!
The German journal of land surveyors then asked:  "Could it be
that
the whole state debt is basically a donation to the land owners
?"
By selling a re-zoned (i.e. previously worthless) piece of land
to
the state (for building a university), a single heir reaped DEM
400 million of tax money by night.  He bought a castle with 500
rooms
and his wife was caught riding a Harley-Davidson through the
extended
corridors.  Sally would give her a BI to pay the gasoline, I
guess.

Chris


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