matslats.net

Just for reference, here is the hopelessly bloated list of what I think needs to be done, as soon as possible in order to create change from below in the global financial system.

Community Forge

• improve design of www.communityforge.net, so our poverty isn't so obvious.
• employ a tech manager so I can get on with other things
• draft a five year plan to apply for funding to allow them to work at a higher level.
• map all the schemes in Western Europe, according to commitment made by Tim at summer camp 2009

It seems to me that local currencies come in three flavours.

Mutual Credit

This is what my software supports. It's just a way of tracking debts between people - and when all the debts are paid off, the total value in the system is zero. This system is best for communities with good boundaries, and a solid membership. The main problem with is that half the members will be in debt at any time, and there is nothing to stop them dropping out while owing.

Fiat

I have understood for some time now that by ignoring the currency issuing account or creating other accounts, a mutual credit system can be easily adapted to different sets of needs. As a systems thinker, I like the elegance of zero balance systems where balances add up to zero and there is always exactly the right amount of money. However the fiat approach though a little messier has some interesting different qualities.

Now communities have a choice of software, they need advice as to which is best for them*. Here are the questions they should be asking. (Like most of my blog posts, this is a work in progress, so when you need to refer to it, come back to the site itself, not to your RSS reader)