03.11.2013 Views

Healthy Money Healthy Planet - library.uniteddiversity.coop

Healthy Money Healthy Planet - library.uniteddiversity.coop

Healthy Money Healthy Planet - library.uniteddiversity.coop

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

2<br />

hoarding.<br />

Economic growth The time­related growth of the Gross Domestic Product<br />

(GDP). It is commonly expressed as a percentage growth of GDP per year or<br />

per month.<br />

Fiat money <strong>Money</strong> that is declared to be money through the arbitrary decision<br />

of an authority. Also defined as a currency that is created out of nothing and<br />

declared to be valuable. Most national currencies are fiat currencies.<br />

Fractional reserve The fraction that remains in the bank as a reserve when<br />

money is created by a bank. For example, if early goldsmiths received $100 in<br />

gold and created $60 new money with it, the fractional reserve was 40 per cent.<br />

This figure has reduced over time. In contrast, 100 per cent reserve banking<br />

means that banks hold 100 per cent of money loaned in reserve.<br />

Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) An alternative measure of economic growth<br />

invented by Redefining Progress, a California­based organisation. It is arrived<br />

at by subtracting from the GDP all the social and environmental costs of<br />

industry.<br />

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) The value of all the goods and services<br />

produced by a country.<br />

Gross National Product (GNP) The value of all goods and services produced<br />

and exchanged in a particular country.<br />

Holarchy A term invented by Arthur Koestler for describing relationships in an<br />

organic system, acknowledging that the word hierarchy is inappropriate. A<br />

holarchy is a system in which all the parts are considered equally important, no<br />

matter what level of organisation they are at.<br />

Holon A ‘whole­part’ within a holarchy. Each holon is embedded in another<br />

holon. While holons each have different degrees of organisation, they are all<br />

equally important.<br />

Inflation A general rise in prices over time. This means that a certain amount of<br />

money will buy fewer goods later on in time. Inflation is measured as the<br />

Consumer Price Index and nowadays excludes the price of land.<br />

Interest Time­related income for the lender of a currency or a time­related cost<br />

of borrowing money.<br />

Investment Spending money now with a view to increasing the productive<br />

capacity of a company or project.<br />

Iwi A place­based Maori tribe with strong affiliations, unique culture and

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!