TheSingle Tax Party was aGeorgistpolitical party in theUnited States. It advocated for asingle tax on land as a panacea for social and economic problems. In 1924, it changed its name to theCommonwealth Land Party.[1] The party garnered little more than 5,000 votes in the1920 United States presidential election, representing 0.02% of the total.[2]
Georgists organized theLand Value Tax Party in 1910 as an extension of the campaign for a single tax inNew York.[3] Single-taxers attended the convention that organized theFarmer–Labor Party ahead of the1920 United States elections; subsequently, the single-tax delegates held their own meeting on July 12, 1920, and nominated Robert C. Macauley for president and Richard C. Barnum for vice president.[4] The ticket polled 5,353 votes in eight states, finishing last out of a field of nine candidates. The party nominated William J. Wallace in the1924 United States presidential election but polled only 1,532 votes.[5]
The platform adopted by the 1924national convention called for a single tax on land to replace all other methods oftaxation. It attributedeconomic depressions,wars,poverty, andcrime to "land monopoly" and predicted these problems would cease onceprivate ownership was abolished. The party opposedincome taxes and adopted a resolution attacking the incumbentCoolidge administration over theTeapot Dome scandal.[6]
| Election | Ticket[7] | Electoral results[8] | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Presidential nominee | Running mate | Popular vote | Electoral votes | Ranking | |
| 1920 | Robert C. Macauley | Richard C. Barnum | 0.02% | 0 / 531 | 9 |
| 1924 | William J. Wallace | John C. Lincoln | 0.01% | 0 / 531 | 8 |
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