Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence of the United States, wrote some two hundred years ago: "If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency... the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."
Today, this is happening in Greece. The European banks that provide the money supply to Greece in the form of loans have threatened to cut off funds unless the Greek government makes draconian cuts to social services, which would worsen the already severe economic depression in Greece. Banks throughout Greece have been closed all week and people are not allowed to withdraw their money. This weekend, the Greek people vote in a referendum to decide whether to accept the banks' terms to restore financial solvency for their nation or whether to default on Greece's debt, which would probably mean leaving the euro currency and a period of economic chaos.
The root cause of the problem is a monetary system in which for-profit banks issue the money supply as loans, based on their motive to make as much profit as possible by collecting interest from debtors. Any currency that works this way is doomed to create an economy based on exploitation and eventual financial collapse as more and more capital accumulates in fewer and fewer hands.
Thomas Jefferson offers the solution to the problem: "The issuing power [of money] should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs."
Grantcoin is a global alternative currency managed and distributed by the Grantcoin Foundation, a non-profit, non-governmental organization, according to the principles of democracy, sustainability, and social justice. Grantcoin will be distributed around the world to each nation and community based on its population, to help create a more fair distribution of wealth and equal opportunity for people everywhere to gain access to capital and the economic growth it brings. The people in each nation or community will be empowered to distribute Grantcoin into circulation, not as debt owed back to a financial institution with interest, but instead as economic incentive grants to businesses that meet the triple bottom line criteria of profitability and social and environmental responsibility, to help such businesses grow and benefit the public.
According to the Grantcoin Mission Statement:
We, the people of the world, recognize and declare that money is a social invention which can be changed by the people according to our values. ...
We see, today, that currencies based on issuance of debt by banks, whose mission is to gain profit by charging interest on loans, favor the accumulation of wealth by already wealthy individuals, businesses, and nations, which are preferred for access to credit over those without as much capital. ...
We know that this system is unsustainable in every way: unsustainable in its effect on people's lives, our communities, the global economy, and the planet we all share and depend on for survival. Recognizing and accepting the moral obligation that arises from such knowledge, we stand united in the decision to create a better alternative: a currency of conscience designed to facilitate the emergence of a more sustainable global economic system.
Grantcoin was launched in May and is already exchangeable with 13 other currencies on online markets, including major currencies such as U.S. dollars and euros. Grantcoin is a digital currency which can be stored and sent cheaply and instantaneously to anywhere in the world using a computer or smartphone. The technology is somewhat similar to Bitcoin but the economic philosophy and methods of distribution of Grantcoin are completely different, based on progressive principles.
If you agree that money should work for the public good instead of the private interest of banks, I encourage you to learn more about Grantcoin and consider getting involved. There is extensive information and documentation available at Grantcoin.org. I'm one of the founders of the project and I would be happy to answer any questions and have in-depth discussions with anyone interested.