LAND AND LABOUR VALUES.

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19638, 26 July 1935, Page 9

LAND AND LABOUR VALUES.

V (To the Editor.) Sir,—lnformation is wanted by Mr George Bowen, of Huntly, in reference to some statements made toy me in recent letters. Regarding recent news from Russia, as the various items appeared in recent issues of the Waikato Times, of which Mr Bowen is evidently a reader, and which news seemed sound enough for you to write a leader upon, I do not propose to take up your space in repetition. If Mr Bowen gives no credence to any news cabled, of course neither you nor I can alter that attitude; I do not propose to try. Regarding Lenin’s statement upon land values, there are several, from which 1 quote the following: “The 'proper application of the Georgian taxation of land values is a tax upon the mentality of a people beyond the capacity of a nation not 10 per cent, of .whom have learned to read. They cannot understand it. They can only understand Socialism at present. Somo day, with a higher average of intelligence, we may adopt taxation of land values and enjoy economic freedom, but not now.” This statement was made to Mr Raymond Robbins by Lenin, after an interview following the Great War, 'and reported in the Globe Democrat, St. Louis, January '27, 1934. Mr Raymond Robbins is a wellknown American social economist, who visited Russia in 1917, and again in 1924, as Commissioner of. the Red Cross, and has held many important administrative positions. For ‘‘taxation’’ read “economic rent,” and we then see clearly that what Lenin intended ultimately was to socialise the social values of land, but as the human material he had to deal with had up to that time not had a chance to become educated he was obliged to adopt Socialism as a makeshift. The statement is quite in harmony with much that is to be found in Marx’s “Capital” and other writings. For example: “The future will decide that the land : can only be national property. The giving over of the land to the association of land workers means delivering the whole of -society Into the hands of one single class of producers. The nationalisation! of the land will bring about a complete change between capital and labour . . . Then, indeed, will class differences disappear, together .with' the economic .basis from which they have sprung.” This is from “Properly in the Soil,” a preliminary essay on the question of land nationalisation, from unpublished material in llie Dlarx-Lenin-Engels Institute, (Moscow, and was quoted in German in “Agrar Problems,” Dloscpw, vol. 5, page 48. Lots more could be given, all in a similar strain, such, for example, as when Lenin, before his death, advised the leader of the ‘ Hungarian Communists not to go for Socialism, but to collect the social values of land and thereby secure social Justice and economic freedom within years whereas, if he went through the socialistic process first, it would take decades. Regarding land and labour values respectively, I dealt with that factor thoroughly in the Times several months ago, aad do not see why J should ask space to go over all that ground again. However, 1 will briefly show Dir Bowen one or two of tho many differences between the social values of land and labour products When dealing with Ibis subject before I showed that favourably-situated land, on which no labour at all was expended, would become increasingly valuable in proportion to the growth of population and progress in the vicinity, as in (be case of city site values, lying idle for years, often being merely unsiglilly rubbish dumps. Will .Mr Bowen 101 lus what labour values are created upon land whereon no labour is performed? Further, so long as there is general progress, certain land becomes increasingly valuable, an acre in the best part of London, for example, being worth £(>,500,000 for the bare land, without iinprovermmls, whereas the same acre two centuries ago would lie worth only a lew thousands of pounds. Will Mr Bowen tell ns what, labour products upon which no storage or other expenditure lias been incurred Vasily increases in- value willi .age? Does not, all real wealth, ns distinct from land values, rather tend to become dissipated, to disappear. altogether with Hie lapse of time? .Moreover, wilt Mr tlow.cn tell us what ‘'farm" values exist now, ur ever existed, apart from the application of labour? 1 take it that when Mr Bowen asked me to slate the differences boIween land values and labour values lie implied Ilia I, I here are none. If I hat is Ii is stand I invite him to oblige I tie company by explaining away the differences above named, after which I may give him a few more. — 1 am, etc., T. I*;. MCMILLAN. Malamala, July 24, 1933.