The Henry George Schools, It's not just right and left

When economist Henry George died in 1897, 100,000 people marched in his funeral parade and another 200,000 filed past his coffin. Luminaries such as Albert Einstein, Clarence Darrow, Aldous Huxley, and Leo Tolstoy have sung his praises. Today, however, his philosophy of equal rights for all and the abolition of income taxes have been mostly forgotten.

Chuck Metalitz wants people to remember George, and, more importantly, to understand his teachings. Metalitz, the vice president, executive director, and an instructor at the Henry George School, is part of a small, but active, worldwide group of "Georgists" who educate the public about the economist and social philosopher. Located in a one-room office in the Plymouth Building on South Dearborn, the offers courses, including Progress and Poverty and Poverty, Liberation, and Land Reform. Courses are offered in "relaxed", "concise", and "complete" versions.

Students at the Henry George School come from a variety of backgrounds and include teachers, social workers, real estate brokers, doctors, and divinity students. According to Metalitz, "the students are of all ages, backgrounds, and economic groups. Most have no children at home or mortgages." The maximum class size is 8. Classes are offered for a nominal $10 fee, which is in keeping with the school's goal of educating the public about Georgist philosophy and analysis.

Georgist philosophy encompasses elements from both the "right" and "left" of the political spectrum. How does it feel to teach a philosophy that doesn't fit snuggly into today's left or right formulation? According to Metalitz,"Most people think of Georgists as 'different from them'. If they're on the right, they think we're leftists. If they're on the left, they think we're conservative." He brings up the analogy of the five blind men and the elephant; each views the creature accurately, but as something wholly different from the other. "We take from both the right and the left without compromising."

The Henry George School of Social Science is located at 417 South Dearborn, Suite 417 in Chicago. They can be reached at 312-362-9302 or on the web at www.hgchicago.org. This article originally appeared in the Summer 2003 issue of Chicago Learning Guide Magazine.