Understanding how the monetary system works is one step towards creating a system which serves human needs and recognizes the value and importance of the biosphere upon which all our lives depend. Western civilization has confused money with wealth. Most of the world's money is chasing other money in the cyber-casino of the global financial markets oblivious to the devastation being wreaked upon the world's ecosystems and people. While species go extinct, forests are decimated, rivers are poisoned, and people starved, the money is blindly directed towards greater profits destroying the world in the process. The global economy has been shaped by military force, money, greed, fear, and a massive propaganda campaign.
Money is a tool of empire, which has served to transfer wealth and power from the many to the few.
All monetary systems based upon debt have this fatal dynamic. The ancient religious taboos against usury were well justified, but have been forgotten. The illusion that money is wealth needs to be shattered. Local currencies are a powerful tool towards raising consciousness, building community, and restructuring our economies in a sustainable direction. Community currencies challenge the system by showing how money is backed by our belief systems.