Leases from the public to the person who wants the public to stay off a chunk of land. The perpetual ownership model is actually pretty weird: the public in 2023 agrees to stay off Bill Barnes' land in transferrable perpetuity in exchange for... a railroad built in 1850 that went defunct 100 years ago. And a dribble of property tax. Lol.

Yes, the USA was founded by english nobility for english nobility. Is it really so surprising they upheld one of the most important institutions for ensuring that rich people can get paid for being rich? They also upheld slavery for similar reasons, though thankfully we sorted that one out 150 years ago.

Again, this is in effect what property tax does. You effectively lease the land from the government because the second you can’t or won’t pay your property tax they will take your land and sell it.

Private ownership of land is actually in the governments best interest. Private individuals will improve land creating further tax. And buildings and people are the 2 things of value a government has. With private ownership the people are truly invested in the government and the government with the people.