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Loading... The End of Money and the Future of Civilization (edition 2009)by Thomas H. Greco Jr.
Work InformationThe End of Money and the Future of Civilization by Thomas H. Greco Jr.
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Like the proverbial fish who doesn’t know what water is, we swim in an economy built on money that few of us comprehend, and, most definitely, what we don’t know is hurting us. Very few people realize that the nature of money has changed profoundly over the past three centuries, or—as has been clear with the latest global financial crisis—the extent to which it has become a political instrument used to centralize power, concentrate wealth, and subvert popular government. On top of that, the economic growth imperative inherent in the present global monetary system is a main driver of global warming and other environmental crises. The End of Money and the Future of Civilization demystifies the subjects of money, banking, and finance by tracing historical landmarks and important evolutionary shifts that have changed the essential nature of money. Greco’s masterful work lays out the problems and then looks to the future for a next stage in money’s evolution that can liberate us as individuals and communities from the current grip of centralized and politicized money power. Greco provides specific design proposals and exchange-system architectures for local, regional, national, and global financial systems. He offers strategies for their implementation and outlines actions grassroots organizations, businesses, and governments will need to take to achieve success. Ultimately, The End of Money and the Future of Civilization provides the necessary understanding— for entrepreneurs, activists, and civic leaders—to implement approaches toward monetary liberation. These approaches would empower communities, preserve democratic institutions, and begin to build economies that are sustainable, democratic, and insulated from the financial crises that plague the dominant monetary system. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)332.49Social sciences Economics Finance Money Biography And HistoryLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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Greco shows that "elitism" - the central banks monopoly of credit - is at the root of the problem. The solution is to decentralize power and wealth by eliminating the banking credit monopolies which have a stranglehold on credit (money).. in other words, more openness, participation, "egalitarianism". Greco explains how to do this using what are called credit clearing or credit exchanges that can eliminate the need for money entirely. Just as banks already clear checks between one another in clearing exchanges, without actually moving money back and forth (debits and credits cancel each another), individuals could operate at the same level, without the need for money - or interest, or needing a bank for credit. Computers and the Internet make it more practical. It's an audacious long term vision - just as Creative Commons could take generations to make a dent in the stranglehold of copyright - but check it out and understand what's happening on the forefront of monetary reform.
--Review by Stephen Balbach, via CoolReading (c) 2008 cc-by-nd ( )