Money Matters by David Boyle

Money Matters: Putting the eco into economics - global crisis, local solutions

by David Boyle

Soft cover in good condition - some signs of wear. 2009. 222 pages.

This wry little book will tell you where money comes from, what it means, what its doing to the planet and what we can do to make the financial system serve the real interests of humanity again. The Ecologist

CONCLUSION FROM THE BOOK

Once we allow ourselves to be disobedient to the test of an accountants profit, we have begun to change our civilisation. John Maynard Keynes, 1933

Our deepest fear is not that we are powerless. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

Nelson Mandela, 1994

So what are we to make of it all? If you can sum up the various messages of this Little Book and money covers the whole of human life, after all they probably amount to the following:

1.  There is a fundamental moral problem about the way we use money: it isnt immoral, but it is amoral it values very unimportant things (McDonald franchises, foreign exchange, hedge funds) very highly, and very important things (families, communities, nurses) very low.

2.  Because of this, it tends to drive out whats good in society, and whats vital for our lives.  Big currencies drive out variety, diversity and creativity leaving just money behind.  And if you dont believe me, look at Jersey.

3.  Money seems to be running out at least for the vital things in life because useless but lucrative investments where money breeds on money suck it all up, and we find that the money for reality gets whittled away.

In other words, the conclusion is the same as Ruskins: there is no wealth but life. But the danger is becoming clearer every year. People who want to produce books or grow barley or sell food now have to do so through the gaps, and with the crumbs that are the by-products of speculation, of the financial roundabout that booms above them and produces nothing real. Soon, it may be impossible.