It has become clear, to many of us, that capitalism and a world order governed by the modern global economy is destroying our planet, creating mass suffering and hardship, and rendering the world massively impoverished and tragically damaged. We have a future to build. One that celebrates who we are and one that is vital and alive.
We do this by dropping money.
On January 1, 2028, I propose we no longer accept money, or use money in any way. The world will not collapse, only the system will.
There are many, many who will argue that this is impossible. And a few who will say it is impractical. But I believe it is not only possible, but necessary.
The truth is we do not need money. Money has no intrinsic value. Money is not like food, or shelter, or warmth, or love, or health, or anything that can be experienced. Money is a false god, upheld by a few whose existence it serves, that only diminishes everything it touches. We do not need money to accomplish any of the things we do, or acquire any of the things we need. It is not money that moves the world, but the choices and actions of living people.
Capitalism is perhaps the most corrupt use of money, but all the “isms” suffer from being beholden to the false economy that comes with the use of money. False economy because the materials and consequences of a monetary economy do not depend on money to happen. Money is used to power the machine, but what the machine does and what it produces do not inherently require money.
At the root of capitalism is the principle of exploitation. At the core of capitalism is the belief that profit is a meritorious and desirable thing. In order to succeed in capitalism one must take from something at a lesser expense that one gains through the taking. The first victim in capitalism in the earth. The earth asks nothing in return for what is can give, and so a capitalist takes from the earth freely and enacts the first profit. An apple is grown, a vein of silver is mined, and that which is taken from the earth is sold, at profit. The next in line must in turn take what they bought and make a profit of it. The apple must be sold from farmer to supplier to grocer to customer, and at each stage the value must be inflated. Each step in this stage exploits the one below it. And even the final stage is making the choice that the apple will not overly tax their wealth, and even add to it. The man who eats the apple gains energy to work, or pleases someone by gifting it, and thus gains favour.
But all labour and creation can be done without commerce. A person can farm a field, or build a bridge, or paint a picture, or perform surgery, all without money. In fact, beyond the value which we choose every day to give money, everyone IS doing the things they do without money. Only in our heads have we fallen for a trick, been spell cast that somehow money is worth the trouble we go to to earn it. When in reality, all we truly have is our connection with others, our health, and the time given to us to live.
So how would a society without money exist? How could it function. And here we must be brave. It would function through community, shared responsibility, inspiration and empathy. If we can build a bridge or a hospital with money, we can do it without. For in either instance, bricks were not laid by dollar bills, but by human hands. Anyone who has ever helped a friend move house, or opened a jar for a spouse, or raised a child, knows that money is not what truly motivates us, but connection and compassion.
Working towards this goal now is what will enable it to happen. Transitioning to a money-less world will take some adjusting too. But we can do it.
We start by creating and maintaining community. Exchange skills and offer assistance to those of your community in the areas you feel able to give. Setup networks that share expenses instead of individuals or each household buying things on their own. Start now to experiment with all the ways you can scale down costs by involving your community, and grow the bonds that will allow the greater transition to a full money-less society.
If you start now, by 2028 you will many answers on how to live (and thrive) without money that seem impossible to answer now. This is the time to get creative. This is the time to imagine a thriving future where we no longer are tied to a system that only profits the super wealthy (and profits nobody in how our very planet is degraded). These are the testing grounds. This is the time that paves the way forward.