Commons economy

The left vs right battle: 1. the meaning of left and right

In the run-up to Christmas (or for non-Christians, the winter holiday period, if you prefer) I’m going to try to spread a little love with a series of articles looking at the growing polarisation of society along the left-right spectrum. I want to persuade as many of you as possible that positioning yourself on this

Read more about The left vs right battle: 1. the meaning of left and right
Building the new economy with mutual credit in Costa Rica

Building the new economy with mutual credit in Costa Rica

Building the new economy with mutual credit in Costa Rica

Here’s a conversation with Emmanuel Savard, co-founder of a group in Costa Rica that’s looking at providing all the essentials of life – food production, housing and energy – for their town via regenerative, non-extractive, sustainable, community-based exchange and investment models.

Read more about Building the new economy with mutual credit in Costa Rica

Does ‘system change’ advocacy mean ‘anti-capitalism’?

What I mean by system change is system replacement, rather than system tweaking (aka ‘prolonging the agony’). This raises (not begs – please, not begs) three questions:

Read more about Does ‘system change’ advocacy mean ‘anti-capitalism’?

Why we should support small fishing boats over super-trawlers, Part 1

Here’s Part 1 of our interview with Caroline Bennett, founder of ‘Sole of Discretion’, a community interest company that sells fish caught by a collective of small fishing boats in Devon. Here we’re talking about the sustainability and community benefits of small fishing boats, the barriers that they face, and how her business can help

Read more about Why we should support small fishing boats over super-trawlers, Part 1
Six reasons the EU isn't as green as it claims

Six reasons the EU isn’t as green as it claims

Six reasons the EU isn't as green as it claims

Every year in June, the EU celebrates its annual ‘Green Week’, in which Europe’s environmental elite gather to congratulate each other on how green they are.

Read more about Six reasons the EU isn’t as green as it claims
economy or population

Where’s the problem – politics, economy or population?

economy or population

Below are some things that I believe, some that I don’t believe and some that I know. Do you believe similar things? If so, stay in touch. Alternatives are being built – change is coming. Nothing stays the same forever.

Read more about Where’s the problem – politics, economy or population?
“why don’t you start a political party?”

Our response to: “why don’t you start a political party?”

“why don’t you start a political party?”

There’s a question we often hear: “why don’t you start a political party?” Sometimes this is genuine, and enthusiastic, but often it’s snarky, as in: “why don’t you stop sniping on the sidelines and put your ideas to the masses, who can vote for you if they like them? Then you can implement your proposals.

Read more about Our response to: “why don’t you start a political party?”
Community energy and mutualisation

Community energy, mutual credit and the mutualist economy

Community energy and mutualisation

This is the third part of an interview with Jon Halle of Sharenergy, about the prospects for keeping energy production local and mutualised. Here we talk about community energy, mutual credit and mutualisation of the economy.

Read more about Community energy, mutual credit and the mutualist economy
How 'chamas' and mutual credit are changing Africa

How ‘chamas’ and mutual credit are changing Africa: Shaila Agha of the Sarafu Network

How 'chamas' and mutual credit are changing Africa

Today I’m talking with Shaila Agha of the Sarafu Network about ‘chamas’ and mutual credit, and how they’re changing Africa.

Read more about How ‘chamas’ and mutual credit are changing Africa: Shaila Agha of the Sarafu Network
What kind of work do we want to do?

What kind of work do we want to do? Is working with our hands passé?

What kind of work do we want to do?

There’s an approach to life that sees craft jobs, or smallholding and food production, including baking, brewing and beekeeping, as well as any kind of job that involves manual work and dexterity as somehow retrograde and passé, and that ‘work’ now means mainly putting on a suit and travelling to an office to do something-or-other

Read more about What kind of work do we want to do? Is working with our hands passé?
Credit commons protocol

Join our presentation: the Credit Commons protocol – tech agnostic, low-friction transactions for all

Credit commons protocol

You’re invited to join our presentation on the ‘Credit Commons’ – a protocol to connect and unite mutual credit groups globally – on Friday 4 June from 4-5.30pm. Sign up here.

Read more about Join our presentation: the Credit Commons protocol – tech agnostic, low-friction transactions for all

‘Mutualism’ will supersede traditional left vs right politics

Nature, democracy and community aren’t partisan issues. No-one sensible, of any political persuasion, speaks out against them. They’re essential for human well-being. But they’re being destroyed, and disunity wastes energy and prevents us from being able to do anything about it.

Read more about ‘Mutualism’ will supersede traditional left vs right politics
Mutual Credit in Africa

Mutual credit in Africa: interview with Will Ruddick of Grassroots Economics

Mutual Credit in Africa

I’d like to introduce Will Ruddick, who set up the Grassroots Economics Foundation in Kenya around ten years ago, that runs a very successful mutual credit network (called the Sarafu Network) there.

Read more about Mutual credit in Africa: interview with Will Ruddick of Grassroots Economics
Piggy banks : savings investment mutual credit world

Saving and investment in a mutual credit world

Piggy banks : savings investment mutual credit world

Nothing we do to try to move to a sustainable, healthy and democratic society will work as long as we have the current money system, because money has two conflicting functions. It can be used to buy and sell things, and it can be used to store, hoard, accumulate and become wealthy with. As long

Read more about Saving and investment in a mutual credit world

New money stories: the eleven dollar bill

I’m writing a book – published by Chelsea Green next January – about the possibility of building a new economy around a moneyless, mutual credit core, at a time when money is going to be scarce. I’m often told that the best way to get new ideas across is with a story.

Read more about New money stories: the eleven dollar bill
Storing value in a mutual credit world

Storing value in a mutual credit world: Chris Cook

Storing value in a mutual credit world

This is the third in a series of interviews that will accompany a book I’m writing, that will be published by Chelsea Green – an employee-owned company, and part of the new economy that the book is describing, built around a mutual credit core. Today I’m talking with Chris Cook. He was the designer of

Read more about Storing value in a mutual credit world: Chris Cook