Our Land, Our Rent, Our Jobs

UNCOVERING THE EXPLOSIVE POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH VIA RESOURCE RENTALS

With a foreword by Nobantu Mbeki

Land rent can provide jobs for all if we just collect it instead of taxing those who create wealth or seek merely to survive. This rent, or the locational advantage of each piece of land, is owed to the community, whose grant of security of tenure enables the owner to enjoy its man-made and natural advantages. Rent has been a phenomenon since the time of the Physiocrats and Adam Smith, but its potential has been ignored and the world has got lost in an economic jungle of its own making.

This book is based on a very simple proposal: replace most taxation with collection of land and other natural resource rentals. It shows the way to the broad uplands of prosperity for all, and explains why it is time for us to talk about rent! It taps into the current debate in the media and economic and political circles around resource rentals in South Africa, and outlines practical steps that can be taken to a different tax regime. This book is highly relevant and topical, and offers much to stimulate further debate whilst offering something positive and workable.

“Our Land, Our Rent, Our Jobs abounds with new ideas … they must be debated, for only in this manner can a solution to the crisis be found.” – Dr Thami Mazwai

“This is a well-researched book that confronts an uncomfortable yet inevitable discussion.” – Percy Takunda

“A valuable contribution filled with sensible commentary that is well supported and well evidenced.” – Dr Adrian Saville

“This is an innovative proposal on taxation that simultaneously addresses the issues of equity, growth, job creation and tax efficiency. It goes beyond the theory and outlines practical steps that can be taken to a different taxation regime …” – JP Landman

“[The authors] challenge us to totally rethink the nature of taxation. They propose a radical change – but one that falls neatly in line with the Freedom Charter and the Constitution.” – Kennedy Maxwell

“A valuable contribution filled with sensible commentary that is well supported and well evidenced.” – Dr Adrian Saville

“This is a well-researched book that confronts an uncomfortable yet inevitable discussion.” – Percy Takunda

“The concept of community-created natural resource rentals as described by Michael Jacques and Stephen Meintjes does much to stimulate the basis for an expectation for finding and unleashing forces that could give rise to economic regeneration.” – Alex Anderson

About the authors:

Stephen Meintjes studied law at Stellenbosch and Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He was active in student and opposition politics until the late Eighties when he became increasingly concerned with what would happen to the economy after political transition. This led to the publication in 1990 of a precursor to the present book, The Trial of Chaka Dlamini – an Economic Scenario for the New South Africa, co-authored with Michael Jacques (Amagi Books, Johannesburg, 1990). Stephen has spent most of his career in investment research and management and is frequently quoted in the media, including radio and television. He is currently Head of Research for Imara S.P. Reid.

Michael Jacques (Late) was a chartered accountant with Peat, Marwick and Mitchell, before lecturing at the commerce faculty of the University of the Witwatersrand. He continued working and studying with Stephen on natural resources rental collection, including the commencement of this book and the submission to the Treasury of various proposals on windfall taxes, royalties and general tax reform, until his death in January 2009 at the age of 72.