Good Money

This is a wish list, for a money to serve people in general, in the mainstream economy. It's in some sort of order.

A good money should be

stable and secure
people won't use it unless it meets these criteria -
why would anyone give up some real thing, of some value,
for a money that they couldn't rely on ?

it only has value if people are willing to take it,
and are able to pass it on to others equally willing

so this is a sinequanon


compatible, viable

it isn't easy for people to change habits,
so a good local money must be at least as easy to use as the normal stuff,
and preferably much easier.

it should measure the same, to avoid price confusions

it will be difficult to get into general use if it confuses the users,
or if it makes difficulties for cashiers in fast food restaurants,
or accountants at their books, or taxmen in the pursuit of their ends

it must pay its own way - it isn't sustainable unless it can
operate free of government or community support, and yet not
rely on the goodwill of volunteers


cheap, efficient
obviously




benign, equitable, convivial
it should confer power with others, not power over others




fraud and theft-resistant
it should be easy to pass the standards set by normal money


elegant
Henry Ford said that good engineering was to simplicate and add lightness.




eco-logical
makes sense for real things in the real world


and most certainly - available
no sense in not having money around


and that means multiple .....

Version #003 27-7-96