Let’s bring back the good times, but better than before!
People ask me after I explained them about this inspiring idea; “Arjan, this idea sounds like utopia” and I say: “yeah, let’s make it!!!”
So, what is this inspiring idea? It’s a local proxy currency!
A proxy money means a currency within a currency, based on a community/region.
Why a local scale of currency? The millennials generation (like myself) and later grew up with a continental currency, but our parents grew up with a national currency. When a local currency is used, there’s an increase of the factors, like more trust, solidarity and more work opportunities, then that were decreased the past decennia.
The second reason is the scientific Dunbar’s number, which explains that you are only possible to have 150 human connections. Because of this, a local currency is socially sustainable. More information about the science and proven ways of why this is a fair and sustainable currency is found in the free e-book ch@nging money which you can download at socialtrade.org.
First off, let me explain to you what I think what the concept of money and economy is.
Money you would give a beer to a friend, because you trust him for giving it back. When you give a beer to a stranger, you ask money for it, because you aren’t sure whether you can trust this person for giving it back.
Economy the concept of economy is based on 3 kind of people’s choices, which are where to get money, where to spend money and what kind of money they use.
How do you do it?
Step 1: you can claim the continental euro’s into local @euro’s
Step 2: the @euro’s are circulating for a X regulated amount of time in a local community
Step 3: after a default period, you can claim the @euro’s back into euro’s
These regulated X amount of circulations make a fair and sustainable purchasing power, unlike the out drying, accumulated and morally based regulating purchasing power of the euro.
In this way, you don’t have to think about whether or not your decisions of where to get and spend your money are fair and sustainable! This is why I think local money is the revolution!
How do you make this money? You convince local companies to choose this currency as payment option.
The best thing is that the Dutch government accepts this currency as pilot, it is making juridical structures and there’re already different community’s/regions here in the Netherlands who are implementing it (like the Utrechtse Euro in Utrecht, the Eurijn in Wageningen and the Parel Brabant in Noord-Brabant). Good examples of places who are doing the same are the Bristol Pound in Bristol, in Great Britain, and the Sardex in Sardinia.
You can give your best friend local money to let him begin a company and when he reaches success, he’ll give it back, because you trust him for his success!
Thank you for being inspired! Let’s make some companies!!!