The Danish Georgist Movement

Ole Lefmann

[August 2000]

Even if I should write only about the Danish Georgists being active through my time, or from the first appearance in 1880 of the Georgist movement and its exciting progress until 1960 when it declined, it would be an enormous task to take upon oneself. You would find Georgists within all Danish political parties and a very strong Henry George Society in the beginning of the 19th century with thousands of members.

As you may be aware of Land Value Taxation and Free Trade was implemented gradually in Denmark. Law about trial assessments of land

values in certain places of Denmark was passed 1909. In 1910 a Tax Commission was appointed and in its report of 1913 it emphazised that a property tax reform was needed, and it recommended the separate land value assessment. This commission brought land value taxation strongly forward in the political debate. Trial assessments was carried out in 1911 and continued 1912. In 1915 the government passed a bill of trial assessment of all land in Denmark. In 1916 was carried out the 1st general assessment of all land in Denmark. Because of the great war 1914-18 this assessment was not used for ordinary taxation, but it was used for measuring of compulsary delivery of crops.

Names from the very start and the first successful activity in Denmark that have to be mentioned together with those you have mentioned already are: Jacob E Lange (translated into Danish Progress and Poverty and several other of the books of Henry George), J L Bjørner (Businessman, philosopher, writer, organiser, financier of Georgist activity, founder of the Danisk Henry George Society), Sophus Berthelsen (Bachelor of Laws, Manor House steward, political organiser of small holders, writer, editor, publisher), Folke (head organiser of the third International Georgist Conference in Copenhagen 1926 where the International Union for Land Value Taxation and Free Trade was established), Mads Siig Steffensen (agricultural farmer, philosopher, writer, member of the Danish Parliament for the Danish Justice Party), but the list of names is extremely long.

Georgism in Denmark was rather strong long before the Danish Justice Party appeared in 1919 and much of the legislation was made before the Justice Party.

Law about trial assessments of land values in certain places of Denmark was passed 1909. In 1910 a tax commission was appointed and in its report of 1913 it emphazised that a property tax reform was needed, and it recommended the separate land value assessment. This commission brought land value taxation strongly forward in the political debate. Trial assessments was carried out in 1911 and continued 1912. In 1915 the government passed a bill of trial assessment of all land in Denmark. In 1916 was carried out the 1st general assessment of all land in Denmark. Because of the Great War 1914-18 this assessment was not used for ordinary taxation, but it was used for measuring of compulsory delivery of crops.