Info, news & debate
Mutual credit
‘Money commons’: review of the Collaborative Finance (CoFi) Gathering
Katja Durrani of Bristol Commons and Lowimpact.org went along to the third annual Collaborative Finance Gathering in Austria, June 16-20. It’s an annual event – everyone welcome. Alternative finance is crucial for building a successful commons movement.
What many environmentalists get wrong about the money system, and why it’s important
We can’t build a commons economy with a capitalist money system. It will block us at every turn. But to build a new money system, first we have to understand the nature of money. Matthew Slater explains. Matthew is the author of the Credit Commons Protocol and white paper, and will be appearing at the Festival of Commoning in Stroud in September.
Money Commons: Review of ‘Remaking Money for a Sustainable Future’, by Ester Barinaga Martín
Remaking Money for a Sustainable Future: Money Commons by Ester Barinaga Martín was published in 2024 by Bristol University Press in its series Alternatives to Capitalism in the 21st Century. Available through Open Access, you can download it as pdf or epub here: https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/89799 The book provides an in-depth view and thorough analysis of various …
Feb 2025 news from the commons movement in Stroud & Liverpool
This is the first monthly news update for what’s happening in the budding commons movement in Stroud and Liverpool, plus Mutual Credit Services and our partners and friends around the UK and the world.
What happened at the first ‘Festival of Commoning’ in Stroud, Sep 13-14?
So, the first ‘Festival of Commoning’ happened in Stroud on Sep 13 & 14. This is a short report from one festival-goer, Dr Laura James.
Introducing commons ideas at the Festival of Commoning
At the Festival of Commoning (Sep 13-14, in Stroud), our Stroud Commons group has a one-hour slot on the Saturday morning. I’m going to give an overview of commons ideas, and there will be representatives of the housing, land, energy and climbing groups to talk about what’s happening in their groups. Then we’ll have around half an hour to answer questions.
The role of the Credit Commons in the commons economy: Tom Woodroof of Mutual Credit Services
Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org and Stroud Commons talks with Tom Woodroof of Local Loop Merseyside and Mutual Credit Services about the Credit Commons – a way to federate different groups all over the world that are building the commons economy (because you can’t get everything you need from just your community) – but it does it without centralised control.
Festival of Commoning, Sep 2024: tickets now on sale
Tickets for the Festival of Commoning are now on sale. Stroud, Sep 13 & 14, 2024.
Corvées: commons practices in ancient and modern France
Will Ruddick of Grassroots Economics talks about the French mutual aid tradition of Corvées.
What makes the commons movement different? (A: it’s much more difficult to co-opt.)
The commons is a movement to create a different world, not just the same system with a few tweaks to make it more bearable. If successful, obviously there will be entities out there that will try to undermine it, buy it and ultimately, to crush it. But there are aspects to the commons model that will, I think, make it more resistant to this than existing models.
A ‘Transcender Manifesto’ for a world beyond capitalism. A seed.
Dil Green is a founder member of Mutual Credit Services, who are working with Stroud Commons to design models for the commons economy for various sectors of the economy. This article first appeared on his blog 5 years ago, but it’s so relevant to the current commons movement, that we’re re-posting it here.
Easy ways that you can help grow the commons movement
We’ve put out requests for help before – in blog articles, at public events and via word of mouth. And they worked. In Stroud, we now have a core group of 10 people and three sector groups – housing commons, land common and leisure commons, with 8-10 people each.
I was interviewed about the commons by the ‘Voice of Islam’ radio station
I was invited to be interviewed about the commons and mutual credit for a show on the radio station ‘Voice of Islam’ called ‘Beyond Capitalism: Mutual Economics’.
Festival of Commoning, Stroud, Gloucs, Sep 13-15, 2024
A Festival of Commoning in the UK: Stroud, Gloucestershire, September 13/14/15 2024. The time is right for a Festival of the Commons.
Bath presentation: introducing the commons
We were invited to give a presentation at the Bath Royal Literary & Scientific Institution on Jan 9th. Here’s the transcript and slides.
Explaining the commons economy
The word ‘commons’ can mean different things to different people. We’ve been working with specialists to help build the commons economy, so we’d like to concisely describe what we mean, and how you can join us.
Helping commons groups form and grow in Stroud and other towns (and countries)
Commons ideas have gone down well in Stroud and we have thriving groups in various sectors. We’ve been approached by formative groups in several towns in the UK and in other countries.
Restanza and the cultural commons
We’d like to see the commons economy grow to allow people (especially young people) to stay in their communities, rather than having to move to big cities to work in the corporate sector and pay extortionate rents. Here, Paul Jennings (who we’re liaising with about the commons in Llandeilo) talks about the concept of ‘Restanza’ …
Free online: 2024 revised and expanded edition of ‘The End of Money’
I read the first edition of this book around 12 years ago. It changed my life and put me on the path to where I am now – trying to build the commons economy. New 2024 edition, free online.
‘Bear ye one another’s burdens’: friendly societies for social welfare
Every neighbourhood had a friendly society. At their height, just before WW1 9 million people were members of friendly societies in the UK!