3DN Ned Uganda
Christina said:
- I'd love to see the community economy develop in a diversified enough way that bananas would not be convertible to cash, but products/services only.
I agree that this is preferable - my reason has to do with ownership of "productive assets" - facilities, tools, equipment, raw materials, etc. If the community/corporation/capital partnership (ccc) owns the assets:
- - individuals can use the assets to produce goods and services in exchange for bananas
- - and then exchange bananas for any of the goods or services produced by the ccc (other members?).
In that transaction, labor is not a "cost" of production and the only calculation that has to be made is the relative value of one task over another. Further, goods and services can also be produced for sale to people who do not have bananas. Those transactions are for shillings at market price. If the ccc owns the assets and what is produced:
- - the cost of labor is the shilling cost of the goods and services consumed in exchange for bananas (the cost of material for example).
- - the shillings received for goods and services in the market - less the shilling cost of goods and services consumed in exchange for bananas - is available to invest in additional productive assets.
- - in that scenario, there is a value differential between purchasing the same good or service in bananas as opposed to shillings - so anyone holding bananas that needed shillings would be able to sell bananas to those with shillings who wanted to take advantage of the value differential
- - that creates a market that would determine the relative value between bananas and shillings - and give ccc workers liquidity. (sorry I don't know how to say that in simple language).
- Assuming that may take a while, but acknowledging that we are in a transition period right now where things are being re-designed, I'm wondering what the next steps might be right now to nudge it further in that direction.
I think of it as a process of having more and more people producing more and more different goods and services - looking to make complete production and consumption loops within the ccc. The ccc has the same options employing its members as a family has employing its family members.
I would focus on services such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, child care, and teaching because that is where the greatest shilling/banana prices differential can be realized - due to the minimal shilling cost. After that I would look at providing additional and improved food, clothing and shelter through things like landscape services (permaculture everywhere), building services, sewing services, etc. - again, due to the favorable shilling cost/ labor ratio.
In all of this, things like soap, candles, jewelry and other marketable products can be pursued but they will have a reduced internal market and, in some cases, higher material costs and therefore produce a smaller differential between bananas and shillings.
As may be obvious, I could ramble on further - but I think I will stop there and ask if you have any questions.
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