(THIS ARTICLE IS MACHINE TRANSLATED by Google from Norwegian)
"Yes, that money, yes, that money, is of concern to the poor and to the rich." This is how the chorus of troubadour Vidar Sandbeck's once-popular "The Money Gallop" goes, a show about a man who became very concerned about counting what he had. Finally, the nerves prevailed, the heart failing and down to earth.
Money secures us in many ways, but also creates problems. And in today's world we have many problems and crises beyond the personal. Is there anything wrong with our system leading to these global crises? Is the device and the pursuit of more profit in itself a problem? Are there better and new alternatives to today's money system? Yes, thinks a bunch of activists and organizations, which I had the pleasure of observing when they met in Oslo this spring. The meeting was called "Beyond Money", initiated and supported by Qui Share, So Central, Cultura Bank, Qoin and Oslo Business Region. Apart from the latter, this is probably unknown to most people, but through lectures and workshops over two days specific initiatives were put on the map. Something is going on.
Soon twelve. "It is three minutes past twelve. One of the main problems is that we run our higher education institutions as if they were standalone silos. All subjects individually. There is too little interdisciplinarity. ”
Ove Jacobsen's singing north country dialect plays playfully among the audience. Professor Jacobsen looks like the incarnate old radish, with ponytail and cool appearance. But the message is deadly serious. Over many years he has helped to build a unique environment around the field of ecological economics at Bodø University College and the University of Nordland.
"When we make a false storytelling, our future is also wrong," says Jacobsen, quoting alternative US economist David Corten. Jacobsen relates soberly to the UN's own calculations, which say that if we continue development in today's direction, we will need two worlds by 2050. In other words: Today's system, based on neoliberal values and linear growth, cannot continue. It is a democratic problem. Free markets determine the state, and a mechanistic way of thinking causes local cultures to weather and nature to lose value. Nature is atomized, divided into pieces, and sold, Jacobsen states.
Therefore, a new financial concept is needed. An ecological economy. We must bring out "the ecological man" rather than "the economic man". Ergo, the academic Jacobsen welcomes new local currencies. These usually operate within small local boundaries, such as in the English town of Bristol with its Bristol Pound, or the smaller town of Totnes, known as an ecologically and socially innovative small town, a so-called "Transition Town".
"In many ways, this is a continuation of what you in Norway have been so good at – volunteer work. "
A searching community. The password for gaining internet access during the seminar is «Savings bank traditions». There is humor in the alternative gang! The congregation is composed, and I quickly get in touch with Naomi from the USA who studies in Aarhus, but who takes the trip to Oslo to learn. Torill is an interior designer, and is waiting in excitement and longing for the collapse of the money economy, as she says. Sara is an entrepreneur and wants to re-establish the textile industry in Norway, while Sjalg is a filmmaker and concerned with the «paradigm shift». A creative assembly, it must be certain.
Chris McCormick, Lucie Basch and Myriam Bouré are the key people behind the initiative. They are part of a global network. These are in many ways alternative sharing platforms, and the new sharing economy consists of sharing schemes for, among other things, houses, cars, boats and services. This can still be a challenge for the business community – and for trade unions. There are basic redistribution ideas behind it. Politicians follow and will have to make laws and regulations afterwards. But are they ripe for the most radical bit – alternative currencies?
Cooperation or competition with the state? Both Jacobsen and other speakers, such as professor at BI in Oslo Per Espen Stoknes, believe that a new network thinking is the future. In a more circular economy, everything is used again, and the focus is on the relationship with the customer. Investments have social goals, focus on renewable energy and have a local and regional angle. Because money is man-made, it can have new or different values that can affect social, ecological and economic conditions. Therefore, we now see that local means of payment and other ways of paying or sharing value are spreading. Be it in the form of local currencies, exchanges and so-called cryptocurrencies, and digital currency units such as Bitcoin.
Preliminary research shows that various local currency measures have a positive impact on the connection between public institutions, businesses and ordinary citizens. They help to create more life and togetherness, which provides many more meaningful weekdays and a vibrant local business community. The literature shows good results, especially in the care sector and in local environmental work. And a good bonus: This reduces the municipality's carbon footprint.
The local currency will ensure that much of the cash flow remains in the district.
Great work. Edgar Kampers from the Netherlands talks about a project in the southern part of the country, in two different municipalities. They have addressed the situation for older people and the problem municipalities have with providing good enough follow-up with less and less money in the common coffers. Through sharing systems, local reward schemes with bonus points that give the right to goods and other services, they have managed to give the elderly a better life. In addition, there are separate volunteer projects to keep neighborhoods tidy and sports facilities proper. If you pay the rent on time, you also get a form of bonus points that can be used. In this way, housing associations save millions of kroner by not having to send out reminders.
"This is in many ways a continuation of what you in Norway have been so good at," says Kampers. "Voluntary work. But this is charity put into a slightly larger system, and charity that benefits the whole municipality. Many who earn bonus points also give them away, to hospices or nursing homes, which in this way get better advice. The system provides more solidarity. In addition, there are many exchange schemes: You cut my hair, I cook for you, or I repair your PC. "
The problem with these different forms of local currency, according to Kampers, is that they are like a so-called Swiss Army Knife – they can be used for anything. Therefore, it pays to focus on a few areas to make the system work. And one must constantly think about sustainability. After all, most attempts at local currencies have failed, Kampers reminds us.
Per Espen Stoknes wrote the book in his time Money and soul where he argued for a threefold division of the monetary unit into social kroner, natural kroner and ordinary kroner, respectively. The important thing, according to Stoknes, is that alternative values and currencies must cooperate with the central monetary authority. Only in that way will it have a chance to survive in the long run. And will then stimulate local innovation.
This was not a representative of the more digital currencies agreed – he believed that Bitcoin and other such currencies can live their own lives on the side of the official. This is a bit like the internet, a decentralized information divider and information producer. But according to Stoknes, Bitcoin will not solve either social problems or environmental problems, and governments can suddenly decide that Bitcoin is no longer legal.
Citizen's salary. "Local currencies are a way to change us, in the direction of a more ecological lifestyle," Ove Jacobsen states, pointing to the already mentioned movement Transition Towns as a possible guide.
I am slowly convincing myself that this may have something to do with it. As is well known, there are many paths to the goal, and it is clear that the "people" are in search of new models of society and new meaning. At the very end of a round of debate, a new concept is also thrown in: citizen pay. In the new economy, all citizens over the age of 18 will receive a fixed sum paid out per month. In this way, creativity, dignity and division of labor will be promoted. Could this be a good alternative to a cumbersome NAV system?
The future will show whether the case studies that were discussed during the seminar as alternative projects are alive. They will be worth following and documenting from – both those who work and those who do not. One of the projects that seems exciting is Tøyen Områdeløft. The idea is to introduce a local Tøyen currency, in order to strengthen the unity and local community in this part of Oslo east. The local currency will ensure that much of the cash flow remains in the district. If Tøyen can point to promising results in a couple of years' time, it will be of national interest.
Yes, the money. They can truly be an inspiration to both the poor and the rich!
