Christian Felber – författare

This updated, revised, and expanded edition of Christian Felber's Change Everything takes account of new developments within now-global Economy for the Common Good movement, answers its most vocal critics, and shows how contemporary geopolitical developments highlight in sharper relief than ever the need to do business differently in order to build a more just and sustainable global economy.Fifteen years ago, Felber showed that it is possible for businesses to have a bottom line that is not driven by profit and endless growth, but rather by human dignity, justice, and sustainability. In the intervening years, Economy for the Common Good (ECG) has grown from a revolutionary blueprint for change to a broad international movement driven by thousands of people, hundreds of companies, and dozens of communities and organizations. At the same time, global politics and economics have changed dramatically in ways that have only concentrated the benefits of the global economy in fewer and fewer hands. In accounting for all these developments, this book demonstrates that the need for ECG is now clearer than ever--and that implementing this more egalitarian economic model might be closer than we think.In addition to copious new examples, updates, revisions, and references, this new edition includes a new foreword by Neva Goodwin, a new preface by the author, and two new chapters on ethical world trade and social security and tax justice.

This updated, revised, and expanded edition of Christian Felber's Change Everything takes account of new developments within now-global Economy for the Common Good movement, answers its most vocal critics, and shows how contemporary geopolitical developments highlight in sharper relief than ever the need to do business differently in order to build a more just and sustainable global economy.Fifteen years ago, Felber showed that it is possible for businesses to have a bottom line that is not driven by profit and endless growth, but rather by human dignity, justice, and sustainability. In the intervening years, Economy for the Common Good (ECG) has grown from a revolutionary blueprint for change to a broad international movement driven by thousands of people, hundreds of companies, and dozens of communities and organizations. At the same time, global politics and economics have changed dramatically in ways that have only concentrated the benefits of the global economy in fewer and fewer hands. In accounting for all these developments, this book demonstrates that the need for ECG is now clearer than ever--and that implementing this more egalitarian economic model might be closer than we think.In addition to copious new examples, updates, revisions, and references, this new edition includes a new foreword by Neva Goodwin, a new preface by the author, and two new chapters on ethical world trade and social security and tax justice.

Trade is the lifeblood of the global economy, but few would consider it a social good. Instead, our views on trade have polarized between two extremes: ‘free trade’ ideologues who regard trade as an end in itself, and ‘protectionists’ who view it as a destructive force to be contained. But there is another way to trade – one with the interests of people, not profit, at its heart.In this visionary work Christian Felber, founder of the Economy for the Common Good movement, offers a dazzling new paradigm for the global trading order. Confronting the ‘free trade religion’ which has reigned since Adam Smith, Felber champions an alternative approach in which trade serves the wider interests of society, incorporating the key issues of our time: human rights, climate change, and the growing divide richer and poorer countries. He proposes the groundbreaking idea of an ‘Ethical Trade Zone’, founded on a principled approach to tariffs and trade policies, and built with international cooperation on trade, taxation and labour.Penetrating and passionate, Christian Felber shows how this brave new economic world can be built democratically from the grassroots up, and how trading for good can be made a reality.

Trade is the lifeblood of the global economy, but few would consider it a social good. Instead, our views on trade have polarized between two extremes: ‘free trade’ ideologues who regard trade as an end in itself, and ‘protectionists’ who view it as a destructive force to be contained. But there is another way to trade – one with the interests of people, not profit, at its heart.In this visionary work Christian Felber, founder of the Economy for the Common Good movement, offers a dazzling new paradigm for the global trading order. Confronting the ‘free trade religion’ which has reigned since Adam Smith, Felber champions an alternative approach in which trade serves the wider interests of society, incorporating the key issues of our time: human rights, climate change, and the growing divide richer and poorer countries. He proposes the groundbreaking idea of an ‘Ethical Trade Zone’, founded on a principled approach to tariffs and trade policies, and built with international cooperation on trade, taxation and labour.Penetrating and passionate, Christian Felber shows how this brave new economic world can be built democratically from the grassroots up, and how trading for good can be made a reality.

This book advocates a holistic reform of the current monetary and financial system dealing with the issues of money creation, central banks, loans, stock markets, tax justice, pension security and the international monetary system - “Bretton Woods II”. Its innovative approach presents several alternatives for each cornerstone, in addition to introducing a participatory democratic process whereby sovereign citizens can themselves determine the rules governing the new financial and monetary system. With “democratic money conventions” in each municipality, where the elements of this new money system are discussed and decided on in a participatory manner, and a federal money covenant which then elaborates a template for a referendum about the future “money constitution”, a true “sovereign” could progressively convert money from a financial weapon into a democratic tool.The envisaged democratic monetary system, by providing equal opportunities for every member of society toparticipate in the development of the “new rules of the game”, turns money progressively into a public good which increases the freedom for all. The new system furthermore drives the enhancement of constitutional and relational values such as human dignity, solidarity, justice, sustainability, or democracy. Money should serve life and should serve the common good. The “Bank for the Common Good” Project, which was initiated in Austria by the author Christian Felber, represents a practical example of his proposals.

This book advocates a holistic reform of the current monetary and financial system dealing with the issues of money creation, central banks, loans, stock markets, tax justice, pension security and the international monetary system - “Bretton Woods II”. Its innovative approach presents several alternatives for each cornerstone, in addition to introducing a participatory democratic process whereby sovereign citizens can themselves determine the rules governing the new financial and monetary system. With “democratic money conventions” in each municipality, where the elements of this new money system are discussed and decided on in a participatory manner, and a federal money covenant which then elaborates a template for a referendum about the future “money constitution”, a true “sovereign” could progressively convert money from a financial weapon into a democratic tool.The envisaged democratic monetary system, by providing equal opportunities for every member of society toparticipate in the development of the “new rules of the game”, turns money progressively into a public good which increases the freedom for all. The new system furthermore drives the enhancement of constitutional and relational values such as human dignity, solidarity, justice, sustainability, or democracy. Money should serve life and should serve the common good. The “Bank for the Common Good” Project, which was initiated in Austria by the author Christian Felber, represents a practical example of his proposals.