The economists and the debate on land nationalitation in Great Britain during the second half of the 19th century

Abstract

In the nineteenth century, land nationalization not only was defended by socialists, but also by important liberal economists such as Flórez Estrada, Gossen or Walras. In Great Britain, in particular, this question became also an object of intense debate during the second half of the century. In favour of land nationalization there were very diverse leading figures: Karl Marx, J. A. Hobson and the Fabian Socialists, the marginalist economist Philip H. Wicksteed, the individualist sociologist Herbert Spencer, or the famous scientist Alfred R. Wallace (J. S. Mill considered nationalization only as a remote possibility). Henry Sidgwick and Alfred Marshall were among the more distinguished critics.