Advantage 62 – Suited to everyone: from the flat-sharing community to the international conglomerate

Excerpt from the book »Gradido – Natural Economy of Life« 

»You and I are one. I cannot hurt you without hurting myself.«

– Mahatma Gandhi

Indian lawyer, publisher and pacifist

A new monetary and economic model should not exclude anybody: people are very different and consequently their lifestyles as well. The positive thing about this is that we can all learn from each other and enjoy other people’s differentness. Every individual, no matter what life concept they favour, has their place in the Natural Economy of Life.

Let’s imagine a shared-flat community, for example. Several people live together like a kind of large family and they may or may not grow food together. They will feel the need to contribute their very personal share to the community in some form or another. Unconditional participation gives them the possibility to receive their active basic income. Whoever wants to can, in addition, work as a craftsperson, an artist or whatever and supply other people with their products. With their active basic income and earnings from other work (all of which is tax-free) they rent the land on which they live (including the building) and enough money remains to pay all the other expenses. The Natural Economy of Life thus makes their very individual lifestyles possible.

An international conglomerate – the other extreme, so to speak – employs staff all over the world and markets its products worldwide. The wage level is the same everywhere and the wages and salaries are tax-free. There are no complicated tax laws, which would be different from country to country, and so the enterprise manages with relatively little administration. Since development of eco-friendly products is promoted, the concern receives subsidies from the Equalisation and Environment Fund. After all, it would be a commercial mistake to make products harmful to the environment and forgo the subsidies. People live in prosperity in all countries. As long as its products are meaningful and needed, the concern finds customers who are able to pay everywhere.

I have deliberately chosen two very contrasting examples of this point to show that the Natural Economy of Life considers everybody. With a bit of imagination you can think up all other possible examples for yourself.