G'day Yabby,

Our farming communities have been having the life sucked out of them by free trade for long enough.

Encouraging diversity and local self-reliance is obviously a significant shift away from our current focus on promoting specialization (which supports concentration of ownership ie big business ahead of small) and reliance on exports.

I suggest, however, that it is a shift that we need to make. Who know's, maybe it will help revitalize our farming communities!

*Our farming communities have been having the life sucked out of them by free trade for long enough.*

Not so Gilbert. The majority of our farmers depend on exports and
open markets, ie free trade, to make their living. Once again,
they produce what they have a comparitive advantage to produce and
what consumers want to buy. For you to suggest that they produce
something else, shows your lack of understanding of agriculture
and of consumers.

Consumers vote with their wallets every day. That is far more
democractic, then voting once in three years. I respect their
judgement, why don't you?

Couldnt let this one go by

Yabby said

<<Consumers vote with their wallets every day. That is far more
democratic, then voting once in three years. I respect their
judgment, why don't you?>>

The old capitalist lie "the democracy of the dollar".
Nothing could be less democratic.
The wealthy have millions or even billions of votes while the poor or ill have few or none.
Not my definition of democracy.

*Nothing could be less democratic.
The wealthy have millions or even billions of votes while the poor or ill have few or none.*

Err Mikk, the wealthy can only eat three meals a day, they
use toilet paper like the rest of us. etc.

The majority of money owned by the wealthy is invested not
consumed. All consumers are voting with their wallets every
day. Why not let them decide on how to spend their money?

You are free to start your own business tomorrow if you wish.
A bucket, a mop and a vacuum and "Mikk's Cleaning Services"
would be in business. It's purely your choice that you prefer
to sit around hating those who do go out and do the same.

I'm afraid this thread lost me at...

>>we look toward moving to having a single global currency value. This single global currency could be electronic and taxed<<

Presumably, we would use this global currency to transact with... Martians?

If you look for a moment at the contortions that the Euro is going through right now, and spent a few minutes getting your head around the reasons behind these contortions, you would begin to understand what an absolutely ridiculous notion a "global currency" is.

The proposition of a "global currency" would not survive a cursory examination by primary school students, let alone people who are supposed to be smart enough to vote.

Whatever next?

Pericles
Primary school students may not understand beyond the current taught concepts but that does not mean it is not worth a look.

http://financialedge.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0310/One-World-One-Currency-Could-It-Work.aspx
http://www.helium.com/items/872821-could-a-single-global-currency-work
http://www.helium.com/items/1044669-costs-of-a-single-global-currency

The above links give some idea of the pitfalls and gains.

If we were to look at a global wage/award system (as a possibility) I am not sure how it could be achieved without a global currency.

As one of links reveal a global currency is not new. Gold was such a currency at various times.