These links are to organizations or publications that challenge the current dominant economic institutions, including the money system, at their roots and propose alternative ideas “outside the box” of the dominant cultural and ideological biases. A hallmark is distrust of centralized institutions, far removed from the communities they are supposed to serve.
BerkShares are a local currency designed for use in the Berkshire region of Massachusetts issued by BerkShares, Inc., a non-profit organization. Launched in the fall of 2006, over one million BerkShares circulated in the first nine months and over two million to date. Currently, more than 360 businesses have signed up to accept the currency. Five different banks have partnered with BerkShares, with a total of 13 branch offices now serving as exchange stations. Future plans could involve BerkShare checking accounts, ATM machines, and even a loan program to facilitate the creation of new, local businesses manufacturing more of the goods that are used locally.
The E. F. Schumacher Society – Schumacher originated the phrase “Small Is Beautiful.” – is an educational organization whose motto is “Linking people, land, and community by building local economies.” Programs are designed to demonstrate social and environmental sustainability. The Library provides a research center to steward the rich tradition of decentralism and community economics, housing unique materials that supply researchers and activists with the building blocks they need to shape an economics built on the ideal of human scale. Includes reference materials for creating a local currency (see BerkShares, above).
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