What would the economy be like if, instead of spending money, we racked up points? The higher your score, the more you can afford during a certain time frame. Being "broke" would no longer be possible. When you earn something, you earn it for life.
Meritocratic currency.
- Thread starter Mouthwash
- Start date
Perfection
The Great Head.
I don't see how trade could work under such a situation.
How do I sell stuff?
How do I sell stuff?
Terxpahseyton
Nobody
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- Sep 9, 2006
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- 10,759
The elephant in the room: How would those points be distributed?
I have been wondering myself weather the free flow of currency should be replaced by a designed flow of points, but didn't yet move beyond simply wondering. The other elephant in the room is the worry that this would be a bureaucratic nightmare with a lot of unintentional effects. So it really stands and falls with the design. The principle potential though seems interesting to me. Which I see in forcing the economy to be less about itself and more about humans while keeping universal competition and hence efficiency intact. An alternative to economic socialism as traditionally understood.
I have been wondering myself weather the free flow of currency should be replaced by a designed flow of points, but didn't yet move beyond simply wondering. The other elephant in the room is the worry that this would be a bureaucratic nightmare with a lot of unintentional effects. So it really stands and falls with the design. The principle potential though seems interesting to me. Which I see in forcing the economy to be less about itself and more about humans while keeping universal competition and hence efficiency intact. An alternative to economic socialism as traditionally understood.
Perfection
The Great Head.
How? Let's say I have 40 credits, and a table, and my my neighbor has 60 credits and no table. How do I sell my table to my neighbor?
I'm halfway there with my regular purchasing of dividend-bearing assets.
BvBPL
Pour Decision Maker
Jasper Fforde explores this issue in his novel Shades of Grey.
I think he lays out an economic system of trading merits that might work.
--
On credit.
I think he lays out an economic system of trading merits that might work.
--
On credit.
History_Buff
Deity
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2001
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- 6,529
By magic. Contract law to be enforced by an army of bureaucratic elves.
It should be some sort of system where the least capable in society get the most credits and the most capable get the least. Obviously, being more capable means they will be able to make do with less by virtue of them being more capable. I suspect this isn't the sort of setup Mouthwash was thinking of, though.
Bad idea in my view. A credit currency would have to be electronic-based (or in a similar but more primitive manner, like keeping written records etc). Both of those are massively open to incredible amount of government abuse, much more than when you just have some material money around. The economy can still collapse and render your money meaningless, but in all other cases you are still able to buy stuff without any need to be monitored or depend on the government-run office for it.
Afaik some African (subsaharan) countries do have programs for an electronic currency, which are ongoing. I doubt it will lead to good.
Afaik some African (subsaharan) countries do have programs for an electronic currency, which are ongoing. I doubt it will lead to good.
This sounds like a variant of a negative income tax, which (truly, honestly) I think might be necessary as automation-induced unemployment becomes more pronounced. The truly handicapped are never punished. The strivers are rewarded. Win/win.
So I guess you're not familiar with BitCoin?
Arachnofiend
Perturbed Pugilist
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- Oct 5, 2012
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...Doesn't the existence of BitCoin only provide evidence for his claim?
This sounds like an idea that we came up with after watching the second episode of Black Mirror where all humanity was enslaved and racking up points on exercise bikes to the point where they could buy a golden ticket to go onto a reality talent show and try to escape.
I'm probably a bit predisposed against the idea after seeing that episode.
I'm probably a bit predisposed against the idea after seeing that episode.
GoodGame
Red, White, & Blue, baby!
- Joined
- Dec 17, 2004
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You might not be broke but you might still not have enough points to afford a meal.
And the existence of a currency doesn't guarantee the success of that economy nor the success of its backer.
E.G.:
Cheezy the Wiz
Socialist In A Hurry
Why bother with all that? Why not just give things to people who need them, and can use them best?
Because red is an ugly color.
