[vox_mundi]

An interesting approach to synthesizing an alternative to the current mess ... - (a little buggy & incomplete)

NewEconomyCardDeck Wiki

The New Economy Card Deck Wiki is intended to allow everyone, regardless of prior expertise or familiarity, to play with the kinds of thinking that is going on between transformational economists who are looking closely and critically at our existing economic paradigm and exploring both small tweaks and wholesale alternatives.

Each card in the deck describes an economic concept in simple terms. The cards make economic design elements tangible and accessible in order to facilitate games and “what if” questions — such as “what if the world actually worked like this…how would it change my professional practice, my life, my world?”

The intention is for people to begin to see the economy as a design problem we can solve rather than an unquestioned paradigm that we simply have to accept and attempt to survive within — and then move beyond that into thinking how we can, in our lives, begin to shift into the new patterns we now see as possible and preferable.

This is intended as a collaborative process, with plenty of room for dialogue, development of new cards and alternative starter decks for specific audiences, along with deeper data and resources, and exploration of real world efforts to implement some aspect of this new economy. Again, the Deck is meant to make economic concepts accessible to all, not provide a final answer as to what such a new economy looks like or is called.

Whether seeking a "Local Economy", a "Sustainable Economy," a "Living Economy," a "Slow Economy," a "Sacred Economy," or something else, the more we talk about these concepts and try them out in practice the more we all can begin to make an economy that supports the things we care about.

Starter Deck Cards:

- Change What We Tax
- Price Energy Accurately
- Recognize Nature's Economy
- Make the Polluter Pay
- Measure What Matters
- Value the Future
- Limit Concentrated Power
- Work Less, Have More Fun
- Grow Resilient Local Economies
- Create Cooperatives
- Realize Our Vast Wealth Together
- Value Basic Needs
- Create a Thriving No-Growth Economy
- Ensure a Fair Share

New Economy Cards

- Pay for Depleting the Commons (Mar 2015 version of this title is "Compensate Citizens for Depletion")
- Consider Resource Productivity (Mar 2015 version of this title is "Measure Resource Productivity")
- Some Things Have No Substitute
- Tame the Bubble Economy

Ideas: Reinstate the economic regulations of Eisenhower era which recognized limits on the financial sector. <insert ideas from Korten & others about how>
Tax any activity that adds little or nothing to the commonwealth but is potentially very dangerous to the commonwealth, notably high-stakes speculation (swaps, derivatives, computerized stock transactions, etc.) and high-speed currency trading. Even a miniscule financial transaction tax would not only reduce the volatility of the financial sector but raise billions for improving and sustaining the commons. http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/david- ... le-economy

- Put Corporations in Their Place

Ideas: There are two main ways to accomplish this:(a) give corporations the responsibilities and limitations of humans as well as the rights

B-corp
Total corp. responsibility.
(b) recognize that corporations are not human and do not deserve these rights.

Reinstate corporate charters
Remove free speech' of corporations (citizens united)

- Consider Life Cycle Cost
- Realize Every Purchase is A Vote
- Shop Less, Live More
- Invest Locally
- Steady-State Economy (Mar 2015 version of this title is "Create a Thriving No-Growth Economy")
- State and Community Banks
- Re-grow the Giving Economy (Mar 2015 called this "Restore the Giving Economy")
- Local Currency for Local Economies
- Microlending
- Mutual Credit Systems
- Practice Fair Trade

Cards Under Development:

- Shrink the Monetary Economy
- Forgive Unfair Debts
- Eliminate Profit from Ownership (Mar 2015 called this "No Profit From Ownership")
- Share the Pie
- Institute a Social Dividend
- Currency For Exchange, Not Hoarding (Mar 2015 called this "Currency for Trade, Not Hoarding")
- Invest in the Commons [TBD]
- Public Control of Natural Monopolies
- Community Development Banks [TBD]
- Reinvent Health Care [TBD]

Sample Card:

New Card (heading)
- Draft description: [to fit well on a card, text must be no more than 65 words. Please do not make any edits to existing cards that make this section longer than that.]

- Instead of: Whatever the design solution is not. [to fit well on a card, text must be no more than 30 words. Please do not make any edits to existing cards that make this section longer than that.]

- Synergies Edit
(cards that work well together)

[link to related card]
Idea Family Edit
(cards with shared core concept — such as specific application of general principles)

[link to related card]

Deeper Dive

- Detailed Description Edit
[placeholder for deeper text on the topic—since __ words isn't very many!]
- Data and Statistics Edit
[if there is data that backs up this card please list it here—with references!]
- Resources and References Edit
[who's working on this? What good information is out there?]
- Examples and Experiments Edit
[Are there real world examples of this in action? Are YOU or others testing this idea or working on implementing some aspect of this on the ground?]

[onlooker]

While I applaud attempts to analyze and synthesize economic models and practices I am pretty certain that it all will not amount to much as long as people living in rich countries wish to continue living like they do. All humanity must downsize their expectations and economic ambitions. That is a requisite first step to any sane approach to economic viability for humanity at this stage. Also, any discussion of economics must include population stabilization and reduction, if not it is simply an exercise in futility.

[vox_mundi]

While I applaud attempts to analyze and synthesize economic models and practices I am pretty certain that it all will not amount to much as long as people living in rich countries wish to continue living like they do. All humanity must downsize their expectations and economic ambitions. That is a requisite first step to any sane approach to economic viability for humanity at this stage. Also, any discussion of economics must include population stabilization and reduction, if not it is simply an exercise in futility.

I agree that we're way past the point of getting the whole world to get along, but whatever society is left after collapse will still require some sort of economic process, even if only at the local level. Some of the ideas he lists and framework would make it easier to piece together (or at least avoid the pitfalls).

The Card Deck is an open-ended way to model an economic plan (at whatever scale) while keeping all the variables and processes in front of you. It's something an 80 page economic thesis sometimes fails to do.

[Hawkcreek]

I think it is a great idea. I used to start design projects with ideas from all over the spectrum on yellow post it notes on the wall. We would then discuss as a team, add, subtract, modify, and generally come up with a pretty good direction to follow.
I agree that the existing power structure will not allow any changes of substance, but this will be a good method to strategize the revolution, and what comes after. It doesn't do any good to tear something down, if you don't have something better to replace it. And I am so tired of all the existing "ism" conversations.
Come up with a logical replacement to "corporate capitalism", and you might not have much trouble in gaining recruits.
Maybe we could call it "F**k You, Eliteism", since it seems traditional to use an "ism" word.

[vtsnowedin]

reading through your card stack it is clear that it is a totally socialist game that Bernie and Fidel would love to play.
If you want it to be a true learning experience you need to add a few more cards. :
!. Reward personal effort and productivity.
2. Reward inventors for their creations.
3. Reward successful research and development.
4. Allow passing on ones life gains (wealth) to your children.
5. Regulate corporations so stock holders get paid before management.
. There are probably a few more that haven't popped into my head as of yet but you get the idea.

[Hawkcreek]

reading through your card stack it is clear that it is a totally socialist game that Bernie and Fidel would love to play.

I guess that means that you wouldn't like the new system name to be "F**k You, Eliteism"
Maybe you would be more comfortable with BAU?
Calling a potential new system generator by one of the same old names is just a way to avoid changing anything. Each of the cards, and any that you or anyone else comes up with, would be judged by its merits and demerits. You could end up with combinations of all systems involved.
We are bound to be able to come up with something better than a system generated by a few elite players, which always seems to degenerate into a playing field dominated by the best talkers, who then begin to change the rules to benefit themselves.
Right now we have a system that is all about developing power blocks, and nothing about doing what is best for the entire group.

[vtsnowedin]

reading through your card stack it is clear that it is a totally socialist game that Bernie and Fidel would love to play.

I guess that means that you wouldn't like the new system name to be "F**k You, Eliteism"
Maybe you would be more comfortable with BAU?
Calling a potential new system generator by one of the same old names is just a way to avoid changing anything. Each of the cards, and any that you or anyone else comes up with, would be judged by its merits and demerits. You could end up with combinations of all systems involved.
We are bound to be able to come up with something better than a system generated by a few elite players, which always seems to degenerate into a playing field dominated by the best talkers, who then begin to change the rules to benefit themselves.
Right now we have a system that is all about developing power blocks, and nothing about doing what is best for the entire group.

Whats the matter? You prefer a game of options with a set of options excluded so only one winner is possible to one with a full set of options?
That would be like chutes and ladders where every square was a chute that took you back to zero. I don't like rigged games or rigged government. Apparently you would be fine if government was rigged your way.

[onlooker]

I think V, in fact Hawk is saying that you are the one trying to limit the options. You seem to be uncomfortable with the possibility of the options selected involving a system akin to Socialism or Communism. I wonder why? Because secretly you wish this option did not exist as it is not to your liking. So, that sounds a bit hypocritical to me.

[vtsnowedin]

I think V, in fact Hawk is saying that you are the one trying to limit the options. You seem to be uncomfortable with the possibility of the options selected involving a system akin to Socialism or Communism. I wonder why? Because secretly you wish this option did not exist as it is not to your liking. So, that sounds a bit hypocritical to me.

I didn't ask for any of the socialist cards to be removed now did I? I'll happily play the game with you choosing all socialist options as long as I can choose some capitalist options.

[Hawkcreek]

I didn't ask for any of the socialist cards to be removed now did I? I'll happily play the game with you choosing all socialist options as long as I can choose some capitalist options.

Now that is what I wanted to hear. Leave all the options on the table, and let the people figure out the ones that should be included. And leave the option of changing the ones selected, at a later date, if they turn out to suck. Cause some options will look good at first, but really start to smell later on.
I am going to look into the Wiki , and see if it is something that might be worthwhile supporting.
If we aren't careful though, we could end up with something like true democracy . Wouldn't that be a hoot.