Lars Doucet, author of the book review of Henry George’s Progress and Poverty, reflects on Georgism five years after his initial analysis. Land value tax (LVT) enablement laws have passed in Virginia and Kentucky this year, while LVT-friendly leaders were elected in the UK and South Korea. Doucet now works full-time for the Center for Land Economics and writes for the Progress & Poverty substack.

He summarizes his original argument: poverty and wealth disparity are linked to progress because landowners collect rent for locational benefits they didn’t create. Henry George proposed LVT as a remedy—taxing land value while exempting buildings. The single tax policy remains controversial, but LVT is widely accepted by economists.

Five years ago, LVT was a niche idea; today, it has significant legislative momentum. Many states introduced bills, with Virginia and Kentucky passing enablement laws in April 2026. These laws allow municipalities to adopt split-rate property taxes, lowering rates on buildings and raising them on land.

The Center for Land Economics tracks legislation via an interactive map. Upcoming opportunities include a bill in Washington State, collaboration with the Sightline Institute, and New York Governor Hochul extending authority for land value capture to fund transit stops.