The main strategy in market economies' development has been to encourage major corporations to move into an area with large scale specialised production in order to create jobs. This economic ignorance is especially true of social and ecological costs. The experience of many communities has been less than favourable. In the face of competition, governments have had to lure companies with cuts in tax, and with reduced environmental and wage restrictions, as well as selling other political influence. The lower prices that multinationals and economies of scale may be able to provide may be false economies.
Community economics seeks to re-establish the local community as the focus of the local economy.
Barter is seen as an early warning sign of malfunctioning macro-economic policy as people are coming to understand the evolution of money has reached the point where it must be recognised as a symbol and that 'growth' has little to do with development .