Info, news & debate
Local / independent currencies
Free online: 2024 revised and expanded edition of ‘The End of Money’
I read the first edition of this book around 12 years ago. It changed my life and put me on the path to where I am now – trying to build the commons economy. New 2024 edition, free online.
Move over #DeFi & #ReFi; hello #CoFi – collaborative finance for the commons
Matthew Slater reports on the first Collaborative Finance Gathering at the Commons Hub, Austria, May 22-28, 2023, where the concept of ‘co-fi’ was born.
Regenerative traditions in Africa: inspiration for the commons everywhere
Building the commons may be hard in wealthier countries, where traditions of mutual aid were lost many years ago. But they’re still alive and well in other parts of the world – as this article by Janet of Grassroots Economics / Sarafu Network shows. I interviewed the director of Grassroots Economics, Shaila Agha, who told me about ‘chamas’ in Kenya – mutual savings groups, built on trusted relationships in local communities.
Matthew Slater’s review of recent money news
Matthew Slater, co-author of the Credit Commons white paper, produces a biannual (usually!) roundup of money news he finds interesting. Here’s the latest.
Matthew Slater’s money news roundup
Matthew Slater, co-author of the Credit Commons white paper, produces a biannual roundup of money news he finds interesting. Here’s the latest.
How to contribute to the Credit Commons Society
Fancy doing something new, interesting, rewarding and potentially world-changing in the new year?
Matthew Slater, co-author of the Credit Commons white paper explains how you can join an interesting group of people, and contribute to the development of the Credit Commons Society.
A range of new monetary tools for a completely new economy: Tom Woodroof of Mutual Credit Services, Part 2
This is Part 2 of an interview with Tom Woodroof, who made the move from the world of nuclear physics to the world of mutual credit and monetary change. I’m going to find out more about his work, and how it can contribute to (quite revolutionary) change.
Matthew Slater’s review of recent money news
The Credit Commons protocol was written by Matthew Slater. It’s the ‘language’ that allows groups all over the world to connect and interact. It’s a bit like the rules of chess – it doesn’t matter what kind of chess pieces or board people are using, as long as they abide by the universally-accepted rules of chess, they can play together.
Grace Rachmany: comparing ideas for a moneyless economy, Part 2
Part 2 of an interview with Grace Rachmany, of DAO Leadership and Voice of Humanity. She has some very interesting ideas around currency design and building a new economy based on community / reputation. As with all our interviewees, we think you’ll be interested in her ideas, and what she’s up to.
Review of Brett Scott’s ‘Cloud Money’
Review of Brett Scott’s ‘Cloud Money’, a ‘convoluted payments circuitry, tied together by institutions you cannot see, but who can see you’.
Grace Rachmany: comparing ideas for a moneyless economy
eas around currency design and building a new economy based on community / reputation. As with all our interviewees, we think you’ll be interested in her ideas, and what she’s up to.
Mutual Credit Services – keeping communities alive after COVID: Investment, saving & location
Mutual Credit Services (MCS), whose mission is to help build local mutual credit ‘clubs’ in the UK and overseas, and to link them together to form a global moneyless trading network – the ‘Credit Commons’. Here we’re looking at savings and investments in a mutual credit world, as well as the importance of physical location.
Mutual Credit Services – keeping communities alive after COVID: Community groups & individuals
This is the fifth in a series of articles looking at the development of Mutual Credit Services (MCS), whose mission is to help build local mutual credit ‘clubs’ in the UK and overseas, and to link them together to form a global moneyless trading network – the ‘Credit Commons’. Here we’re looking at community groups and individual consumers.
Mutual Credit Services – keeping communities alive after COVID: Local authorities & anchor institutions
This is the fourth in a series of articles looking at the development of Mutual Credit Services (MCS), whose mission is to help build local mutual credit ‘clubs’ in the UK and overseas, and to link them together to form a global moneyless trading network – the ‘Credit Commons’. Here we’re looking at local authorities and anchor institutions
Mutual Credit Services – keeping communities alive after COVID: Trade Credit Clubs and credit clearing
Third in a series of articles looking at the development of Mutual Credit Services (MCS), whose mission is to help build local mutual credit ‘clubs’ in the UK and overseas, and to link them together to form a global moneyless trading network – the ‘Credit Commons’.
Mutual Credit Services – keeping communities alive after COVID: explaining the Credit Commons Protocol
of Mutual Credit Services (MCS), whose mission is to help build local mutual credit ‘clubs’ in the UK and overseas, and to link them together in a global trading network. Here we provide a basic explanation of the Credit Commons Protocol.
Mutual Credit Services – keeping communities alive after COVID: introduction
Members of the Lowimpact.org co-op are involved with Mutual Credit Services (MCS), whose mission is to help build local mutual credit ‘clubs’ in the UK and overseas, and to link them together in a global trading network. We’re often asked about the current state of play, and so we’ve put together a series of 6 articles to explain what progress we’ve made.
How ‘chamas’ and mutual credit are changing Africa: Shaila Agha of the Sarafu Network
Today I’m talking with Shaila Agha of the Sarafu Network about ‘chamas’ and mutual credit, and how they’re changing Africa.
A brief history of money
Here’s a quick and dirty history of money. Since I’ve been involved in the mutual credit world, I’ve been reading various ‘history of money’ texts, and so I thought I’d organise the notes I’ve taken into a blog article. It’s a half-hour read, to accompany our new ‘Low-impact money’ topic, and I think it gives …
The new Open Money exchange system: Michael Linton, founder of LETSystems
This is Part 2 of a conversation with Michael Linton – founder of LETS, the moneyless exchange system. In Part 1 we talked about LETSystems and why it didn’t grow in the way Michael would have liked, and in Part 2 we’re going to talk about his new idea – Open Money.