Reading Course II: Condition of Labour 1 & Relevance to Today

How can a 19th‑century text speak to 21st‑century questions about inequality, housing, wages, and the power of capital? This reading group invites you to find out together.
We’ll be working through the first half of Henry George’s Condition of Labour, a concise but provocative intervention in classical political economy. Written in 1891, the text tackles enduring questions: Why does economic progress seem to leave many behind? What explains persistent poverty amid abundance? And what role do land, rent, and ownership play in shaping labour’s possibilities?
Across a series of sessions, we will read closely and discuss George’s argument in conversation with contemporary political economy debates. Rather than treating the text as a historical curiosity, we’ll approach it as a live document—one that can illuminate today’s issues, from housing crises and urban land speculation to wage stagnation, automation, and the changing nature of work.

***

What to expect:

• Close reading, not prior expertise
  No background in economics is required. We’ll move at a deliberate pace, unpack key concepts, and make space for questions.
• Linking past and present
  Each session will connect George’s ideas to current debates—e.g. land value taxation, wealth inequality, and the political economy of cities.
• Discussion-based format
  This is a collaborative course, not a lecture. Participants are encouraged to bring interpretations, disagreements, and contemporary examples.

***

Proposed topics (Part I):

• The “problem” of labour in an age of progress
• Capital, wages, and the distribution of wealth
• The role of land and rent in economic inequality
• Critiques of prevailing economic orthodoxies (then and now)
• Early formulations of what later became Georgism—and its relevance today

***

Who this is for:

• Anyone curious about economic inequality and its historical roots
• Readers of Marx, Smith, Polanyi, or modern political economy looking to expand their lens
• Urbanists, activists, policy thinkers, and students
• People who want to read difficult texts collectively rather than alone

***

Practical details:

• Format: Weekly sessions (approx. 1–1.5 hours)
• Reading load: ~15–25 pages per session
• Text: Condition of Labour (public domain; we’ll provide a link and reading schedule)

***

Whether you’re encountering Henry George for the first time or revisiting him in light of today’s crises, this course offers a space to think carefully—and collectively—about one of political economy’s most persistent questions: why wealth grows, but justice does not necessarily follow.

Tutor is Joffre Balce, Secretary of the Association for Good Government.

Free audiobook CD for participants.

***

| |
| --- |
|