744 B
744 B
House Rent Tax
Definition
A tax imposed on the rent of houses, which falls partly upon the inhabitants who pay it and partly upon the owners of the ground, with the final burden distributed between them based on the relative value of building rent versus ground rent.
Source Chapter
Book V, Chapter 2
Context
Smith distinguishes between building rent (the profit on capital expended in building) and ground rent (the price for the use of land), explaining how a tax on house rent affects each component differently and ultimately falls more heavily on the rich.
Economic Domain
General Theory