![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
This just came to mind, thinking about crazy ideas... How about starting a neighborhood microcurrency? You could make it as high tech or as low tech as you want, but it doesn't change the theory.
Low tech:
Print up a bunch of bills (Or some other token) and hand an equal number to each member. When somebody needs help, or use of a tool, or a gallon of gas, or anything, they post it on a central bulletin board with the service/good and how much they're willing to pay somebody for it. If a person ends up with a glut of bills, they can take it a little easier, if somebody's out of bills, they'd better pull their weight, or just drop out of the economy entirely. It makes it easier to help out members in need, also. People can choose to give bills to anybody that they want to. Then, you can help to provide something for which you wouldn't have the skills or materials otherwise. Of course, bartering isn't off limits, but in small communities, you can't always barter for what you need at the time.
Issues:
Trust - All of the members must trust each other. The members should, if unanimous, be able to vote someone out of the economy. At that point, no transactions can or will be performed with the offender either for a predetermined length of time, or permanently. It isn't like Amish shunning, barter should still be possible, just not currency transactions.
Counterfeiting - This ties into trust, but detecting counterfeiting could be difficult. In a small enough community, it should become obvious that a person never does anything, but still has bills. By the time the community gets large enough, there really should be some sort of government in place to handle tracking bills by serial number or somesuch. Come to think of it, using serial numbers and sending a note to all members letting them know the range would work. If the fake bill is outside the range, it's obvious. If it's printed inside the range, you could only put so many into the economy before duplicates started popping up.
New members - if a new member joins, then a number of bills should be printed equal to the number distributed at the start and given to the new member. Of course an updated SN range should be sent to all members.
High Tech:
Easy, store each balance in a database, and tie it into a computer bulletin board. Same rules apply.
I have no idea if this would really work. I'm not even sure how you could run an experiment, as the economy probably needs to reach a certain size before it really operates well.
Just another crazy thought. Feedback is welcomed.
Low tech:
Print up a bunch of bills (Or some other token) and hand an equal number to each member. When somebody needs help, or use of a tool, or a gallon of gas, or anything, they post it on a central bulletin board with the service/good and how much they're willing to pay somebody for it. If a person ends up with a glut of bills, they can take it a little easier, if somebody's out of bills, they'd better pull their weight, or just drop out of the economy entirely. It makes it easier to help out members in need, also. People can choose to give bills to anybody that they want to. Then, you can help to provide something for which you wouldn't have the skills or materials otherwise. Of course, bartering isn't off limits, but in small communities, you can't always barter for what you need at the time.
Issues:
Trust - All of the members must trust each other. The members should, if unanimous, be able to vote someone out of the economy. At that point, no transactions can or will be performed with the offender either for a predetermined length of time, or permanently. It isn't like Amish shunning, barter should still be possible, just not currency transactions.
Counterfeiting - This ties into trust, but detecting counterfeiting could be difficult. In a small enough community, it should become obvious that a person never does anything, but still has bills. By the time the community gets large enough, there really should be some sort of government in place to handle tracking bills by serial number or somesuch. Come to think of it, using serial numbers and sending a note to all members letting them know the range would work. If the fake bill is outside the range, it's obvious. If it's printed inside the range, you could only put so many into the economy before duplicates started popping up.
New members - if a new member joins, then a number of bills should be printed equal to the number distributed at the start and given to the new member. Of course an updated SN range should be sent to all members.
High Tech:
Easy, store each balance in a database, and tie it into a computer bulletin board. Same rules apply.
I have no idea if this would really work. I'm not even sure how you could run an experiment, as the economy probably needs to reach a certain size before it really operates well.
Just another crazy thought. Feedback is welcomed.