In the previous postings we’ve covered how ordinary Poles can own
machinery and other forms of man-made capital, but what about the country
itself? Is there a way the people of
Poland can actually own Poland?
The answer is yes, there are are ways to make certain that every Pole
benefits from the development of the country’s natural resources. A “Citizens Land Bank” can be established in
which every citizen receives a single, no-cost, non-transferable lifetime share
that pays dividends from leasing and resource extraction fees from users of the
land, and carries a vote.
The Citizens Land Bank, a for-profit land planning and development
corporation, first takes title of all land and natural resources still owned by
the government. This should be at no
cost, although sometimes in the U.S. similar transactions are carried out at
the “cost” of “$1 and other valuable considerations.”
The Citizens Land Bank could borrow money from commercial banks to
purchase other land and natural resources from private owners, especially
foreign companies, but of course at a fair price. If the owners are not willing to sell, the
CLB could either wait until the land is offered for sale, or the government
could condemn it, pay a fair price to the owner, and then sell it at the same
price to the CLB.
There is also a plan for a “Homeowners Equity Corporation” that
would help people combine to purchase homes, but we can discuss that later.
Let me know what you think of these points, especially if you need me
to explain any of them. Once you
understand the general strategy, it will be easier to convince entrepreneurs,
bankers, union leaders and politicians in Poland to meet with me and work with
them to design an expanded capital ownership program.
Sincerely yours,
Norm Kurland
But wait! There’s more!! (And we'll get to it next week. . . .)
