Black button with a black and white portrait of an old bearded man in a yellow circle. Yellow text curves outside the top and bottom of the yellow circle.
This button commemorates Henry George (September 2, 1839 – October 29, 1897), an economist best known for his work, “Progress and Poverty,” published in 1879. George spent his early days working as a typesetter and editor for several newspapers. After failing several attempts in seeking electoral office, George secured a political appointment as state gas-meter inspector in 1876. This led to the development of “Progress and Poverty,” which explores how poverty is increasing along with increasing wealth, proposing the single tax that taxes away all economic rent by the state and abolishes all other taxes. The work became popular that millions of copies were sold worldwide and translated into many languages. George also became the mayoral candidate of the reform forces in 1886, in which he barely lost to Democratic Abram Stevens Hewitt and significantly finished ahead of Republican Theodore Roosevelt.
American History. (n.d.). Excerpt from Henry George Progress and Poverty 1879. Retrieved July 9, 2021, from http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/documents/1876-1900/excerpt-from-henry-george-progress-and-poverty-1879.php
Britannica. (n.d.). Henry George. Retrieved July 9, 2021, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Henry-George