Within a successful transition to a resilient community, one of the earliest signs of progress will be a radical decrease in the community's monetary velocity. Essentially, this means that an ever increasing share of the money that flows into your community, stays within your community. Money, otherwise destined for big corporate retailers, the international banking system, and Asian exporters (the essence of global velocity), stays in the community. This in turn enables the investment flows require for the construction of community platforms (local systems that simplify and accelerate critical activities) that both guard against dislocation/failure in the short term and mint/drive wealth in the long term.
The short term shift to slow money won't be made due to the desire for a lifestyle change or because it is the trendy "eco" thing to do. Some improvements in food quality or a diffuse feeling of fuzzy warmth won't suffice to drive these changes. Instead, it will be driven by a hard edged need to enhance the long term economic and physical security of you and your family. Drivers include:
- Cost reduction. A substitution of time for money. Repair over new. Savings growth.
- Mutual support. The local sourcing of goods and services. Strong local relationships/networks vs. arms length/anonymous relationships with global retailers/service firms/banks. A strong hedge against dislocation or an inability to access global supplies/services. Increased flexibility though an ability to negotiate or a potential for barter.
- New sources of income. Local production of goods and services. Sales of excess food, energy, and services. A slow discarding of "global consumer" (a slur...) status in favor of "local producer."
For more on this read this excellent post by Robert Paterson.