Healthy Money Healthy Planet - library.uniteddiversity.coop

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as the individual organs of the body have specialist functions yet all are essential
to our well­being.
According to biologist Elisabet Sahtouris, the growing debate on globalisation
versus localisation is a futile exercise. Instead, she argues for doing globalisation
better rather than opposing it. She says that in nature species adapt by conserving
what is working and altering what is not; they don’t just suddenly change. 23
Translating that to the economy, as each economic system adapts, whether at the
community, local or national level of complexity, the delicate patterned web of
social relations can remain in place.
In the organic model I have discussed in this chapter, healthy local
economies are embedded in healthy regional economies, which in turn are
embedded in a healthy national economy, which in turn is embedded in a healthy
global economy. Each level of organisation has its internal energy system – its
own currency. International trade will use an international currency,
supranational trade will uses a supranational currency, national trade will use
national currency, and regional trade will use any one of a variety of regional or
local currencies.
Keeping this organic model in mind, I will move on in the next chapter to
develop the theme of how local currencies can work to complement but not
replace national currencies, and why a diversity of economies necessitates a
diversity of currencies.