Dave Hartley
http://www.Asheville-Computer.com
http://www.ioa.com/~davehart
http://www.communitycurrency.org/
The Difference Between Money and Real Wealth
Creating Community Currencies
Creating Community Currencies
The economic system is deeply flawed and has served to concentrate money, land and power in the hands of a few. The concentration of economic power and ecological devastation have heralded the collapse of many civilizations and empires. At this time in history, humanity must choose between the health and well-being of our planet, humanity, and other lifeforms, or the further enrichment of the ruling elite. The choice is clear. The Summit of 8's policies serve the short-term interests of the rich; the Multilateral Agreement on Investments (MAI) blatantly favors the rich over all environmental and human rights concerns (see http://www.tradewatch.org/).
Understanding how the monetary system works is the first step towards creating a system which serves human needs and recognizes the value and importance of the biosphere upon which all our lives depend. The local currency movement hopes to reorganize the global system by creating healthy local communities that recognize and respect their interdependence, and work cooperatively to restore the Earth, recognize the rights and wisdom of indigenous people, and respect the rights of all people -- regardless of class, gender, age, or race.
What is real wealth? Western civilization has confused money with wealth. Most of the world's money is chasing other money in the cyber-casino of the global financial markets oblivious to the devastation being wreaked upon the world's ecosystems and people. While species go extinct, forests are decimated, rivers are poisoned, and people starved, the money is blindly directed towards greater profits destroying the world in the process. The global economy has been shaped by military force, money, greed, fear, and a massive propaganda campaign. Money is a tool of empire, which has served to transfer wealth and power from the many to the few. All monetary systems based upon debt have this fatal dynamic. The ancient religious taboos against usury were well justified, but have been forgotten.
The illusion that money is wealth needs to be shattered. Real wealth is a healthy planet and healthy relationships between all lifeforms; it is inner peace, world peace, balance and harmony in the home, the community, the world. Local currencies are a powerful tool towards raising consciousness, building community, and restructuring our economies in a sustainable direction. Community currencies challenge the system by showing how money is backed by our belief systems.
Money can be created by banks or governments to serve their interests, or it can be created by people in a community to serve their needs. Local currencies help communities to recognize their inner strengths, the gifts of their members, and the value of cooperation. Local currencies inspire people to live in accordance with their values, to follow their inner passion rather than chase after an obsolete notion of "success." They enable people to make a contribution to their community and receive what they need or desire in return. They nurture relationships and demonstrate how local production for local needs benefits the community, as well as reducing the stress upon distant communities who have been forced into near slavery and starvation to provide resources and services to the world's wealthy. Creating community currencies encourages participatory democratic processes and shows how non hierarchical systems empower people, and nurture hope, creativity, respect, and compassion. In a perfect world, money would become obsolete, and the gift economy would flourish.
This is the website of Carol Brouillet [EMAIL PROTECTED].
Carol Brouillet is a Co-Founder of the International Media Project, which produces Making Contact, a half-hour radio program now heard on over 150 stations, primarily in the U.S. and Canada. She also helped found the Who's Counting Project, which promotes the film Who's Counting? Marilyn Waring on Sex, Lies & Global Economics. Both non-profits seek to connect people, vital ideas and important information to nurture healthy social change, economic justice and ecological sustainability. A passionate advocate of local currencies to raise consciousness, nurture community, and increase local self-reliance, her paper Reinventing Money, Restoring the Earth, Reweaving the Web of Life has won an honourable mention from the Millenium Institute as one of the best ideas for the 21st Century.
The Feminist Perspective is a speech she wrote for The Other Economic Summit, The People's Summit 97 held in Denver, Colorado at the same time as the G-7(8). Her latest article, A Clear Purpose, written in April 1999, is an adaptation of a speech for the Structure and Economics with a Vision Conference, in Damanhur, Italy, May 1999.
Raised in California, she sailed around the world in her youth, and has traveled extensively.
Her political activism began in 1992 when she saw a film which disturbed her and started to do research on the government and the media. She began by writing articles and promoting books and films, such as Manufacturing Consent, Noam Chomsky and the Media.
In '92 she also read excerpts compiled by dave ratcliffe on the health effects of low-level radiation which prompted her to compile and edit The Invisible Nuclear War about the effects of low-level radiation, the massive government cover-up, and the continuing battle waged by the Nuclear Powers against All Life on Earth.
Her activism has spanned a wide range of issues. In 1993 she read Debt Virus, A Compelling Solution to the World's Debt Problems by Jaques Jaikaran and an article by Paul Glover "Creating Economic Democracy" and began writing on Money -- our civilization's largest blind spot.
From writing articles to helping to organize events, conferences on the issue of money and Global Economics, and public speaking, she does all she can to raise consciousness and change the system, while raising her 3 boys -- Jules (born in '88), Jeremy (born in '90), Daniel (born in '93) with the help, support and love of her husband, Jean-Luc (who watches the kids when she goes to conferences and events).
In January '98, she organized the first "Gathering on Strategies to Transform the Global Economy," in February '99, she organized a second "Gathering" (article about it appearing in the Christian Science Monitor), (Report >From the February Gathering) another Gathering was held August 12th through 15th for people who felt passionately about the need for systemic change.
Carol is also the Green Network Center for Y2K and Community Currencies. She is a member of the Green Party which includes local currencies in its platform. She was interviewed by Sojourn, Fall, 1998 that issue focused on Community Currency.
As a result of the August Gathering, I have devoted money, time, and energy to the World Atomic Safety Holiday Campaign, realizing that our efforts towards social justice will be of little use should there be nuclear catastrophes this January. Action is the best cure for "depression" and nurtures "hope" and "possibilities." While the future looks grim in the face of the incredible challenges facing us as a species, and our planet, I continue to be hopeful and active and encourage all others to do the same. As my dear friend, Norie Huddle, says, "Together we can do- what no one of us can do- alone."
I'm reminded of a joke: the definition of a fanatic- When a fanatic realizes what he is trying to do is impossible, he redoubles his efforts.
