Thoughts on the End of Publication
of Equal Rights

Edward J. Dodson

[Reprinted from Equal Rights, Spring, 2010]

More than a few years have passed since I stepped down from the board of the Henry George Foundation of America so that I could concentrate my advocacy of the principles espoused by Henry George where I thought they might do the most good. It seemed to me that the Foundation was in good hands. And so, as the current board is poised to retire the organization, the future of our efforts under the auspices of the Center for the Study of Economics has never looked brighter. I applaud everyone involved for their unselfish commitment to progress.

It does not seem that long ago that Steve Cord nominated me for a seat on the Foundation's board, but it was half a lifetime ago for me, in1981. I had only recently completed the Henry George School program at the birthplace extension but was ready to do whatever I could to promote Henry George's solutions to the problems of poverty and periodical business disruptions. Steve also asked me to come aboard as co-editor of Equal Rights. Although trying to work my way up the corporate ladder at a Philadelphia bank and working long hours, I agreed to contribute items for each issue.

My first commentary -- for the Spring 1981 issue of Equal Rights -- challenged the economic plans of the Reagan administration. To anyone who had studied Henry George's treatment of political economy, the outcomes were not likely to be in the interests of the majority. I wrote:

"The one question I have not yet heard addressed by the supply-side economists is the method to be utilized for control over monopolistic appropriation of any increases in productivity achieved. I am quite positive that the member nations of OPEC and our own domestic corporate resource owners do, indeed, have "great expectations" for the Reagan plan!"

In the Fall issue, I commented on conservative economist Thomas Sowell's view that a redistribution of property to address past injustices was impractical. As has almost always proven to be the case, Henry George had already considered the problem and advanced a solution:

"Henry George also realized the difficulty in turning back the pages of history and trying to begin anew. The difference between the two economists is that George learned from Adam Smith and David Ricardo what Thomas Sowell apparently has not; that the market system cannot operate "freely" nor "competitively" so long as society fails to recover (for the public good) the rental value of land society's members have created. ..."

I continued to contribute regularly to Equal Rights until the Fall of 1985, when I began work on a Master of Liberal Arts degree at Temple University and was also elected to the board of the Henry George School. Fred Harrison had also enlisted me to do some writing for Land & Liberty, which seemed to me a more important commitment because of Land & Liberty's broader targeted audience. However, I remained on the board of the Foundation for the next two decades, doing what I could to provide support the work spearheaded by Steve Cord and, then, Josh Vincent.

In 2004, Josh and I took over as co-editors of Equal Rights, relieving Steve Cord of this responsibility and also reducing the cost of its publication. Hopefully, supporters and friends of the Foundation have found the contents of Equal Rights both informative and enjoyable over the years.

You may miss receiving your copy of Equal Rights several times each year. Have no fear. The principles conveyed in its pages continue to be championed by the board of the Center for the Study of Economics, by the Center's dedicated Director and staff. Momentum for constructive change is building, and the Center is positioned to get the dominoes falling in the right direction. Do not wait to be asked; be as generous as you can with your support. We are still fighting hard for our equal rights!