Mason Gaffney, R.I.P.

The retired professor of Economics Mason Gaffney died on July 16, as a youth of 96, failing in his ambition to make it to his hundredth birthday. I had the honor of knowing him, meeting him at several Georgist conferences. He became a widower not too long ago, and leaves behind multiple children from his two marriages. He was a nice man to talk and interact with, although he could be mordant about the injustices and idiocies of the world. His youthful Georgism survived his advanced study of economics in a context where such views were unpopular, and he obeyed Abraham Lincoln’s precept that we should stand for the right as best God gives us to see the right.

He not only held what I see as the right opinions, but had an analytical mind, which he applied to improving our understanding of the world, “our” meaning not only dedicated Georgists, but anyone who would read his professional papers and popularizations. In particular, he followed Henry George in believing that land speculation leads to periodic recessions, but explained in a more satisfactory manner exactly how this happens. There is plenty of food for thought to be found at his website, https://masongaffney.org.