Info, news & debate
Mutual credit
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.
Stroud Commons 4: new website
Stroud Commons now has a website – stroudcommons.org. Please tell anyone you know in Stroud about us. We’re looking for people to get involved.
Stroud Commons part 3: ‘Money Talks’ public event with Brett Scott, May 19
Stroud ‘commoners club’ is hosting a public event at the Trinity Rooms in Stroud on Friday, May 19 at 7pm. If you live in Stroud, please do come along, and if you know anyone in Stroud, please let them know.
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.
How credit clearing can change the global monetary system: interview with Tomaž Fleischman of Informal Systems
Tom Woodroof of Lowimpact and Mutual Credit Services talks with Tomaž Fleischman of Informal Systems about credit clearing. We believe that credit clearing is one of the four crucial tools in building a new commons economy.
A brief history of credit clearing, with Hans-Florian Hoyer
Hans-Florian Hoyer is a retired banker and academic who specialises in the history of credit clearing – especially credit clearing at medieval trade fairs. Credit clearing is a crucial part of building a new commons economy, because it reduces the need for money and banks in communities, and it helps small businesses survive through difficult times.
Career change? Work with Mutual Credit Services
Invitation to apply to work with Mutual Credit Services. We’ve got more work in prospect than we can handle, and what we really need now is more creative human capacity.
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 credit clearing can help system change: Michael Hallam of Local Loop Lancaster & Morecambe
In this interview I’m talking with Michael Hallam, who is involved with the Ethical Small Traders Association (ESTA) in Lancaster, and has recently been working with Mutual Credit Services on a credit clearing project called Local Loop Lancaster & Morecambe. Credit clearing is an important part of what needs to happen to build a new, ‘commons’ economy.
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.
My journey from nuclear physics to mutual credit: Tom Woodroof of Mutual Credit Services
This is Part 1 of an interview with Tom Woodroof of Mutual Credit Services, who made the shift from the world of nuclear physics to the world of mutual credit.
Introducing the Credit Commons Society
The Credit Commons Society has been formed to promote and educate about, and to govern the Credit Commons protocol as it evolves to serve the needs of more groups, in the same way that the Linux Foundation looks after the Linux operating system.
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.
Join ‘Way Out Economics’ for a new economic system
Bristol Pay and the Credit Commons Society have joined forces to organise a gathering of practitioners, thought leaders and funders focused on nurturing a new economic system. The event will be hybrid, with the ‘in real life’ element being in Bristol.
How to spread the idea of (much) more radical change?
We need system change, no less (i.e. system replacement, rather than trying to tweak this fundamentally damaging system). Here, I want to talk more about how I came to this conclusion, and what the route to radical change might be.
New tools and ideas for building the commons economy
The Commons economy is not, like capitalism, built around the private ownership of the means of production – but neither is it, like socialism, built on the state ownership of those means. It’s about reinstating the commons, that have been gradually enclosed over the centuries, first by the state and more recently by capitalists.
Reflections on building the ‘Commons’ economy
Lowimpact has been around since 2001, and we’ve provided lots of ways to help people live more sustainably. We’re going to also be focusing on how to build the ‘commons’ economy in future, as a viable alternative to the status quo.
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’.