An alternative to a trade currency used solely within the market would be to have someone at the market performing the role of moneychanger. If he had a decent supply of gold and silver rounds, junk silver, and FRNs, he could, say, exchange FRNs for silver so people could make purchases from those unwilling to take FRNs, or vice versa. He could then invest those FRNs in enlarging his supply of precious metals and supplying them to the market as an alternative form of stable currency.Jason wrote:Amen and Amen! Hence the closer in 2 Nephi 10:15...and the plague....etc etc etcmes5464 wrote:It seems from everyone's posts that it will require intervention into local government (having our own people run for positions) so that we can begin to clean up the corruption. We don't stand a chance if we don't clean up corruption.
A few thoughts this morning on currency and the business model tmac has discussed. I would think that the easiest way to implement some sort of currency on a small trial basis (introduction) would be in the format of using it in a bazaar type setting. For example people exchange silver, gold, FRNs, etc for coins or paper that are then used to trade within the bazaar (swap meet). Sort of like trading FRNs for coins to use in a video game arcade. One could make the coins or paper represent whatever they want - weight of gold, silver, copper, etc. That would mean that everyone within the bazaar would be buying/selling with that currency (officially rounds with no face value?).
A couple hurdles....what do you take in trade for your new currency? Or in other words what do you peg it to? silver, gold, etc??? Is that native, electrum, junk, sterling, 900, 925, silver flashed metal, nickel mix, etc...silver? Do you now need an assayer on site?
Does this add another dimension to the business start-up making it even more difficult to get off the ground? Bring on potential legal hassles that would stifle the business?
One of the ways that the swap meet adds value besides bringing buyer and seller together.....can be reducing legal framework. For example I go home teaching to a gentleman who deals in antiques. When he goes to a show he's provided a business license for that show thus reducing the legal quagmire he has to swim through to buy and sell.
If you set up a "legal" trading scheme (currency) within the bazaar....would it do away with sales tax issues? business licenses - federal/state/local? etc....
Is there some way (like the antique shows) to streamline paperwork hurdles to reduce the barriers to buying/selling at your swap meet?
Also a couple thoughts on profit. Profit is an essential requirement of doing business. It basically represents the value added by the company to the goods or tools that the company acquires. Profit is requisite for future business expansion/investment.
As I understand the Law of Consecration....the entire focus of the LOC is on profit....or value added. The beauty of the LOC is that when a person/business reaches the point where profits cannot be invested to obtain further profit....they then go back into the pool (nest egg) to fuel investment somewhere else. In other words, when the individual/business cannot add any more value in whatever endeavor they are engaged in.....rather than then (or prior to reaching that point) siphoning off profits to build a bigger house higher up the hill that adds little if any additional value (or even destroys value).....the profits are turned over to others via the agent bishop (individual) or high council (business) to be invested elsewhere. The focus is on stewardship and ultimately in adding value (profitability - parable of the talents).
I believe that when this is implemented....along with proper government structure (rule of judges - as established by Moses and espoused by Cleon Skousen???)....standard of living will accelerate at a pace not seen in the history of the world (perhaps with a few minor exceptions - City of Enoch, etc).
I'm not necessarily opposed to the idea of alternative currency in the form of notes or IOUs, but I'd like to avoid it if necessary, and it seems like there's other means of achieving the same effects that entail less risk. I've read a bit on the bank Joseph Smith implemented in the early days of the Church, and how enemies of the church manipulated the bank notes it produced to essentially make them worthless and bring great financial hardship to Joseph and other prominent members who'd supported the bank with large investments. The moment something becomes official, its enemies have something to attack.
I agree completely with your thoughts on the Law of Consecration and profits. I think one of the major flaws of today's businesses is that all efforts are confined to that business, so that when it's reached its maximum potential it either continues trying to expand past feasible boundaries, or it oversteps in some other way.
Reading the Work and the Glory series by Gerald Lund, I was very impressed by the way he presented the Steed family. It was a fairly large family that continued getting larger as time passed and children married. All had their various talents and interests and prospered within them. Then, as younger members of the family (or married-in members), decided it was time to begin providing for themselves, they would find an area they had expertise in, or one they thought the community needed, and the family would pitch in what they could spare of time and money to help that person get going in that venture. In that way everyone prospered as a need was taken care of.