International Union for Land Value Taxation

The International Union for Land Value Taxation, commonly known as The IU, is an international umbrella organization for advocates of land-value taxation and related reforms in land, public finance, and resource governance. Its membership and affiliated network include activists, politicians, professionals, academics, and national or local organizations interested in the ideas associated with the nineteenth-century American reformer Henry George. The organization’s central objective is to encourage public opinion in favor of lasting peace and broad prosperity by addressing what it regards as fundamental economic causes of poverty and war. Its policy framework is based on equal freedom and the sharing of common resources, including land and natural resources. In practical terms, The IU supports the public collection of the rental value of land separately from the value created by buildings and other improvements. It also advocates reducing or eliminating taxes, tariffs, and other charges that obstruct production and exchange. This places the organization within the Georgist and land-reform tradition, while giving its program an international and institutional focus. The IU was established at an international conference in Denmark in 1926. The meeting reportedly brought together approximately 500 delegates who supported Henry George’s ideas. For much of its history, the organization served primarily as a forum where land and tax reformers from different countries could exchange research, policy proposals, and conference papers. It has held periodic international conferences and developed declarations, publications, educational initiatives, and relationships with organizations working on land rights and land-value capture. Its international public-policy role expanded through engagement with the United Nations. The IU received accreditation as a nongovernmental organization in 1992 and was granted Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2003. Through representatives serving in United Nations offices in New York, Geneva, Addis Ababa, Bangkok, and Santiago, it has sought to participate in international discussions on land, poverty, human rights, and fiscal reform. The organization has also supported land-value-tax and resource-rent initiatives in countries including South Africa, Nigeria, and Vanuatu. The IU’s work includes advocacy for a concept it describes as equal freedom and a universal right to access a place on Earth. Its 1949 Swanwick Conference produced a principle and policy pamphlet that became known as the Declaration of Human Rights on Equal Freedom. The declaration was translated into several languages, amended over time, and reaffirmed most recently in 2001. In 2008, The IU launched an online petition proposing changes to Articles 3 and 29 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to recognize a universal right to a place on Earth. The organization has also supported educational and publishing projects. It has been involved in the Economics of Abundance monograph series by British economist Fred Harrison, whose first volume, The Silver Bullet, was published in 2008 and addressed global poverty. The IU contributed to the development of an online course and training program on land rights and land-value capture associated with the United Nations Global Land Tools Network. It also produced two short documentary films in 2008 concerning human rights and poverty in southern Africa. At its 2006 conference in London, The IU agreed to transform itself from a primarily conference-based forum into a more active and outward-facing professional organization. It is funded mainly through membership subscriptions, donations, and legacies, with much of its work supported by volunteers. Available reference material does not identify a current chief executive, a commercial parent, or a listed corporate structure.

The International Union for Land Value Taxation was founded at an international conference in Denmark in 1926. The conference attracted approximately 500 delegates who supported the economic and social ideas of Henry George, the American reformer whose work argued that land values created by the community should be returned to the public while improvements produced by individuals should not be penalized in the same way. The new organization provided an international structure for advocates of land-value taxation and associated land and fiscal reforms. The IU’s stated purpose was to promote public opinion favorable to permanent peace and prosperity by addressing economic conditions that it considered underlying causes of poverty and war. Its guiding principles combined equal freedom with the collective ownership or public sharing of the value of common resources. The organization therefore advocated raising public revenue through collection of land rent and other resource rents, while reducing or abolishing taxes and trade barriers that it believed interfered with productive activity and voluntary exchange. During much of the twentieth century, The IU operated mainly as an international forum. It convened periodic conferences, circulated papers, and connected reformers from national and local organizations. Its activities helped maintain an international network of Georgist activists, public officials, professionals, and scholars. The organization also developed a rights-based expression of its philosophy. At the 1949 Swanwick Conference in England, as the United Nations was developing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, The IU issued a principle and policy pamphlet that later became known as the Declaration of Human Rights on Equal Freedom. The declaration was translated into multiple languages, amended and reaffirmed over time, with the latest reaffirmation identified in the available reference material occurring in 2001. The organization’s relationship with the United Nations became more formal during the 1990s and 2000s. The IU obtained NGO accreditation in 1992 and received Special Consultative Status from the UN Economic and Social Council in 2003. This status broadened its opportunity to participate in UN-related processes and to present its views on land, poverty, resource distribution, human rights, and public finance. The IU maintains representatives serving UN offices in New York, Geneva, Addis Ababa, Bangkok, and Santiago. The 2006 conference in London marked an organizational turning point. Delegates agreed that The IU should transform itself into a more active and outward-facing professional organization rather than functioning primarily as a periodic meeting place for land and tax reformers. Subsequent work emphasized public advocacy, international policy engagement, educational activity, and support for practical land-value-capture initiatives. In 2008, The IU launched a global online petition proposing that Articles 3 and 29 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights recognize a universal right to a place on Earth. The same period saw the organization’s involvement in several publication and educational projects. It supported the Economics of Abundance series of monographs by Fred Harrison, beginning with The Silver Bullet, which addressed global poverty. It also contributed to the development of an online course and training program on land rights and land-value capture under the auspices of the UN Global Land Tools Network. Two short documentary films produced in 2008 focused on human rights and poverty in southern Africa. Through its UN representatives and wider network, The IU has supported land-value-tax implementation and related projects in countries including South Africa, Nigeria, and Vanuatu. Its work combines policy advocacy, research dissemination, networking, and public education. The organization is funded mainly through member subscriptions, donations, and legacies, and relies substantially on volunteer effort. The available sources do not provide a complete account of its later institutional history, current officeholders, membership size, or present operational structure.

• 2008

  Global human-rights petition launched

  [1]The IUen.wikipedia.org

  The IU launched an online petition seeking recognition of a universal right to a place on Earth in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

• 2006

  Organizational transformation approved

  [1]The IUen.wikipedia.org

  The London conference endorsed a transition toward a more active and outward-facing professional organization.

• 2003

  Special Consultative Status at ECOSOC

  [1]The IUen.wikipedia.org

  The IU received Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

• 2001

  Reaffirmation of the equal-freedom declaration

  [1]The IUen.wikipedia.org

  The Declaration of Human Rights on Equal Freedom was amended and reaffirmed, with 2001 identified as the most recent reaffirmation in the available reference.

• 1992

  United Nations NGO accreditation

  [1]The IUen.wikipedia.org

  The IU was accredited to the United Nations as a nongovernmental organization.

• 1949

  Swanwick Conference declaration

  [1]The IUen.wikipedia.org

  The IU issued the principle and policy document that later became known as the Declaration of Human Rights on Equal Freedom.

• 1926

  Founding conference in Denmark

  [1]The IUen.wikipedia.org

  The organization was founded at an international Danish conference attended by approximately 500 advocates of Henry George’s ideas.

A volunteer-supported international policy and advocacy network advancing Georgist land reform, land-value taxation, resource-rent collection, equal freedom, and related approaches to poverty reduction and public finance.

• Policy declaration · 1949

  Declaration of Human Rights on Equal Freedom

  A rights-oriented statement of principles developed from the IU’s 1949 Swanwick Conference. It connects human freedom and prosperity with access to common resources and the public sharing of land values. The declaration was translated into multiple languages and subsequently amended and reaffirmed.

• Professional forum · 1926

  International conferences and conference papers

  Periodic international meetings and published papers have provided a forum for activists, politicians, academics, professionals, and affiliated organizations to exchange arguments and practical proposals concerning land-value taxation, land reform, public finance, and resource rents.

• Monograph series · 2008

  Economics of Abundance

  A series of monographs associated with British economist Fred Harrison and supported by The IU. The first volume, The Silver Bullet, was published in 2008 and addressed global poverty through the lens of land and economic reform.

• Training program

  Land Rights and Land Value Capture course

  An online course and training initiative concerning land rights and land-value capture, developed under the auspices of the United Nations Global Land Tools Network with contributions from The IU.

• Documentary films · 2008

  Human-rights and poverty documentary shorts

  Two short documentary films produced in 2008 focused on human rights and poverty in southern Africa, extending the organization’s advocacy beyond written policy materials.

• 2008Universal Right to a Place on Earth Petition

  Global

  The IU launched an online petition seeking amendments to Articles 3 and 29 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to include a universal right to a place on Earth.

  Outcome. The available reference material confirms the petition’s launch but does not report its final signature count or policy outcome.

  Source
• International land-value-tax and resource-rent advocacy

  South Africa · Nigeria · Vanuatu

  Through its international network and UN representatives, The IU has supported projects promoting land-value-tax implementation and public collection of resource rents.

  Outcome. Specific project results are not provided in the available reference material.

  Source

• 2006

  Transform the IU into an active professional organizationStrategy

  Background

  Historically, the organization had functioned largely as a forum for periodic conferences and exchanges among land and tax reformers.

  Action taken

  The London conference approved a strategic shift toward a more active, outward-facing, and professionally organized institution.

  Aftermath

  The IU’s subsequent activities included stronger public advocacy, UN engagement, educational programs, and support for practical land-value-capture initiatives.

  Source

1. 1The IUen.wikipedia.org