Land reform

Both Joseph and Seebohm backed proposals for land reform as they believed that land in the hands of a few individuals was one of the key causes of the proliferation of slums. Joseph specifically referred to this issue in his Founder’s Memorandum. They stopped short of recommending the nationalisation of land but suggested the taxation of land values or the appropriation of unearned profits from development. The Joseph Rowntree Village Trust was an early pioneer of the movement for land reform. New Earswick Garden Village, created from Joseph’s vision of establishing improved housing for working people in York, still attracts attention and remains a focus for housing debate today.