2. Do you prefer to give your patronage to local businesses, or do you appreciate the uniformity of service/product quality provided by national chain stores?
3. What form does your patronage take? Do you always lunch at a certain eatery, or recommend a certain tradesperson?
4. Have you always used your national currency when buying a product/service locally? What financial alternatives do people have available when money weakens as an exchange mechanism? Gold? Silver? Are these viable alternatives?
5. Read article here: Own Currency Reading
6. Would the idea of a local currency appeal to you? Why/why not? The Brixton (London) Pound has the image of David Bowie on its notes - who would you choose for your local currency?
7. According to you, what would be the minimum number of participating businesses needed to make a local currency worthwhile? How difficult would it be to get businesses in your area to adopt a local currency, do you think? What means would you use to promote it?
8. Bristol's Pound is app-based which allows for digital transfers to be made - given the travails of various cryptocurrencies, does a digital currency reassure or worry you?
9. How did people in your country feel about banks pre/post-2008? Would having local currencies address any of the lack of trust surrounding large banks? How important is it to know the bank manager at your local branch? How often do they change? Do you think it's a good policy to change the manager regularly?
10. Do you think that local currencies (if sufficient in number) might support the national currency in times of high inflation/economic downturn? Or might they undermine it?
11. Do you have/use loyalty cards? Where do you use them? Is your wallet/purse stuffed with them? Do you, like me, find them bothersome, and prefer to use straight cash instead? Does their usage clash with digital transactions as well?
12. Do you think schools should teach basic financial concepts? Would people be more careful of their financial situation if they knew more about how financial institutions work? Would that benefit the world economy? The economy of your country?
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Situation
You are currency expert Edgar Kampers. You are appearing on a radio show to promote awareness and the use of local currencies. Put forward your ideas and answer the host's questions.
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Discuss quotes
"The best way to destroy the capitalist system is to debauch the currency."
--- Vladimir Lenin
“Our greatest currency is our time and we cannot save it. Spend it wisely and never waste another's or your own.”
― Kyle Barger
“The world can run without money and currencies but not without business and trade.”
― Amit Kalantri
“Treat others with respect and you will always be wealthy, because your community is your real currency.”
― Bryant McGill
“Money frees you from doing things you dislike. Since I dislike doing nearly everything, money is handy”
― Groucho Marx
Student Handout here: Own Currency
Photo: Cottonbro Studio