Books / News
New book to tell ‘full story’ of the Bristol Pound
A new book called Value Beyond Money promises to tell “the full story” of the failed Bristol Pound experiment.
The Bristol Pound, which was launched with great fanfare in 2012 and lasted until 2021, was the first local currency to have digital and paper money from the outset, and the first to enable the payment of local taxes in the local currency, with former Bristol mayor George Ferguson even accepting his entire salary in Bristol Pounds.
Its aim was to raise awareness of the importance of localisation of trade, building community wealth by trapping money in the local economy, but to its detractors it was no more than a glorified voucher system.
is needed now More than ever
The Bristol Pound notes had several different designs over the years in which they were in use – photo: Bristol Pound
Value Beyond Money author Diana Finch, former managing director of the Bristol Pound, says that her book “is an antidote to normal books about money and economics”.
A crowdfunder is running throughout November to raise money for the book being published by charity publisher Arkbound Foundation.
Finch said: “It contains absolutely no ideas for how to make us richer in financial terms, and is unlikely to be welcomed by anybody who gains from the current economic system!
“As such, it would be pretty much impossible to get the book published by any commercial publisher.
“Yet, the ideas explored in Value Beyond Money are very important if we are to create a socially just world in which Earth’s resources are shared fairly and managed with concern for the long-term future of human and other life.”
To donate via the crowdfunder, visit crowdbound.org/product/value-beyond-money
Main photo: Bristol Pound
Read next:
- End of the line for Bristol Pound after almost a decade
- ‘The Bristol Pound is economic insanity’
- Bristol Pound notes to be transformed into giant shoal of fish
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