Leo Tolstoy, the renowned Russian novelist, and Henry George, an influential American economist and social reformer, had an interesting connection based on their shared interest in social justice and economic equality. Although they never met in person, Tolstoy was greatly influenced by George’s ideas, particularly those expressed in his book Progress and Poverty published in 1879.
Henry George is best known for his advocacy of the “single tax” on land value, which he argued would reduce economic inequality by taxing land speculation and redistribution of land rents to the public. Tolstoy, who was deeply concerned with social and economic justice, was influenced by George’s ideas on land ownership and their potential impact on poverty. Tolstoy saw the ownership of land by a few as a root cause of the suffering of the poor, which resonated with his own critiques of Russian serfdom and the inequities of feudal society.
Tolstoy, in his later years, adopted ideas, especially regarding land reform, that aligned closely with those of Henry George. Tolstoy argued that land should not be privately owned, and that the Earth should be accessible to all people as a shared resource. This idea reflected George’s advocacy for land value taxation, which aimed to ensure that the benefits derived from land and natural resources were shared equitably. Tolstoy read George’s Progress and Poverty and was impressed by its message. As a result, Tolstoy wrote a letter to Henry George in 1889, in which he expressed his admiration for George’s economic ideas and shared his own reflections on land reform and the injustices of society. Tolstoy praised George for his vision of a more just economic system, acknowledging the moral dimensions of George’s work.
Tolstoy and George were concerned with the plight of the poor and saw the unequal distribution of wealth as a key issue. While George focused on the reform of economic systems through land value taxation, Tolstoy’s focus was more on spiritual and ethical reform, urging a life of simplicity, self-sufficiency, and moral responsibility toward others. Despite their different approaches, they shared a vision of a more just world.
