I’m involved for decades now locally around Montreal, in British Columbia, Quebec & internationally (EF Schumacher Society Local Currencies in the 21st Century), only to see organizers & funders continually repeating the error of trying to organize ‘trades’ without recognizing multi-stakeholder member ‘investment’ (time, money, resources, property, goods, services etc) & knowledge for decision-making empowerment in the development & operation of time-banks.

Humanity’s universal worldwide ‘indigenous’ (Latin = ‘self-generating’) ancestors integrated ‘capital’ (L ‘cap’ = ‘head’ or ‘wisdom’), ‘currency’ (‘flow’), condolence (social-security), collegial-education (mentor-based apprenticeship), math-based communication & other community values seamlessly in one accounting cycle. There is so much ‘reaction’ or ‘protest’ to the present ‘economic’ (L ‘oikos’ = ‘home’) system without ‘pro-active’ ‘manifestation’ (becoming the change we want to see in the world) or understanding humanity’s long worldwide indigenous economic heritage.

Indigenous people understand the first question of ‘community’ (L ‘com’ = ‘together’ + ‘munus’ = ‘gift or service’) economy as “Do we know who we are?” https://sites.google.com/site/indigenecommunity/structure/9-do-we-know-who-we-are

Humanity has the knowledge & resources needed to thrive but must move beyond insecurity-fear-weakness-based alienating-reaction to strength-based appreciative-creation.