New Life in Old Cities: Georgist Policies and Population Growth

American cities are rotting from the inside! Many urban centers have lost their residents and their revenue to the sprawling suburbs. Adding to the tale of metropolitan dismay, the once great city of New Orleans remains in shambles years after the Katrina tragedy. What causes cities to grow, to stagnate, or to decay? In New Life in Old Cities, Mason Gaffney takes a fascinating look at historical patterns of urban growth in places that adopted policies inspired by Henry George's "Single Tax" movement. Under Single Taxer influence, New York's population exploded relative to nearby cities during the Great Depression. And after the worst earthquake in US history, San Fransisco's population grew by 22% during the tenure of Georgist mayor Edward Taylor. Cleveland, Detroit, Toledo, Milwaukee, Chicago, and Cincinnati had similar experiences. Learn how it happened, and what this could mean today for our struggling cities.