Henry George and Silvio Gesell: The Odd Couple

ABSTRACT Henry George (1839–1897) and Silvio Gesell (1862–1930) developed distinct yet overlapping economic reform agendas. Both advocated land reform, free markets, and rejection of protectionism, but differed sharply on money, interest, and taxation. George saw land value taxation as the sole means to fund public goods and curb speculation, while Gesell proposed demurrage money to eliminate capital scarcity and cyclical crises, complemented by public land leasing. This article compares their theoretical foundations, critiques, and enduring influence. It situates both thinkers in the context of modern developments—such as infrastructure self‐financing, central bank debates on negative interest, and evolving land‐lease practices—while assessing complementarities and blind spots. The analysis suggests that integrating Georgist and Gesellian insights offers a more comprehensive reform program addressing monetary, fiscal, and land‐use dimensions for equitable and efficient economic systems.