Chapter  I

A
THE  FIRST  LEG  OF  THE  SINGLE  TAX  TRIPOS
THE  SOCIAL  ORIGIN  OF  GROUND  RENT
GROUND  RENT,  WHAT  LAND  IS  WORTH  ANNUALLY
FOR  USE,  IS  A  CREATION  OF  THE  COMMUNITY,
A  SOCIAL  PRODUCT  —  ALL  LOCAL  TAXES  ARE
SPENT  UPON  THOSE  THINGS  WHICH  MAKE  AND
MAINTAIN  GROUND  RENT.
I.—Definition  of  Ground  Rent*
(i)  “Ground  rent  is  what  land  is  worth  for  use.”  (2)
Strictly  speaking,  the  “worth  for  use”  attaches  not
to  the  land  itself,  but  to  scores  of  things  exterior  to
the  land  and  through  it  available  for  use,  so  that  the
following  is  a  fuller  description:
Gross  ground  rent—economic  rent—the  annual  site  value
of  land—what  land  is  worth  annually  for  use—what  the  land
does  or  would  command  for  use  per  annum  if  offered  in  open
market—the  annual  value  of  the  exclusive  use  and  control  of
a  given  area  of  land,  involving  the  enjoyment  of  those  “  rights
and  privileges  thereto  pertaining”  which  are  stipulated  in
every  title  deed,  and  which,  enumerated  specifically,  are  as
follows;  right  and  ease  of  access  to  water,  health  inspection
sewerage,  fire  protection,  police,  schools,  libraries,  museums,
parks,  playgrounds,  steam  and  electric  railway  service,  gas
and  electric  lighting.telegraph  and  telephone  service,subways,
.  ?  See  Appendix  F.

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