The Color of Money: Alternative Currency Promotes Fresh Thinking about Sustainable Economics
Author(s)
Gaines, C. B.
Abstract
The angry people crowding the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina in January 2002 were armed with casseroles and wooden spoons and making a hell of a ruckus. Unemployment was at historic highs, crime had skyrocketed, and the political system was on the verge of collapse. What was responsible for the sudden onslaught of bad fortune in this historically wealthy country? The long answer: a complex intermingling of social, political and economic forces. The short answer: money. And yet the picture is not entirely grim. Global capital investment has brought much positive change, including economic development in India and China. Is there a way to minimize the instability the system can engender without jettisoning the gains?
