{"id":189,"date":"2013-08-23T11:25:12","date_gmt":"2013-08-23T11:25:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.miningtheseem.org.uk\/?p=189"},"modified":"2013-08-27T06:59:11","modified_gmt":"2013-08-27T06:59:11","slug":"community-economics-the-new-model","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.miningtheseem.org.uk\/?p=189","title":{"rendered":"Community Economics – THE new model"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Community<\/a>
Moving to a new model?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We strive for a fairer world, with a more balanced wealth and reward distribution, coupled to a stronger feeling of community response and renewal from the econo-political systems that govern our lives.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

This life is a complex and often contradictory experience, with cognitive dissonance <\/i><\/a>\u2013 the ability to hold two competing and conflicting beliefs at the same time, particularly evident in our view of economics, trade and banking.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

We accept outrageous levels of pay and reward for the minority as a way of perpetuating the systems and processes which provide the rewards for the few. Or do we? Is it rather that we co-operate with a dissonant system of reward and effort in order to preserve our own interests, whilst still feeling uncomfortable about the less well off, the least effective and the disenfranchised communities across the globe?<\/span><\/p>\n

From the individual view point this might appear rational. From the viewpoint of mainstream commercial and financial mega-corporations this might appear rational. But is there another paradigm emerging in modern economic structures that will gradually change the foci of these denizens of the corporate depths?<\/span><\/p>\n

SEEM’s meta-view when looking at the financial and social landscape is well stated on our main website…<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

We think there is another way of doing business that takes a more balanced and blended approach to profits, people and the planet…<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

This article argues that the new model emerging, which others have called Community Economics<\/i> and which we have explored in individual elemental form in recent Mining the SEEM<\/i> journal posts, is a critical driver of perhaps monumental change in the financial world.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arguably, as powerful a shape shifter as the emergence of Manchester Liberalism<\/i><\/a> in the nineteenth century, or the infamous Quants<\/i><\/a> of the late twentieth century.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben Hughes<\/a>, recently writing for the Community Development Finance Association (CDFA), highlighted the work done by the CDFA and the Community Development Foundation (CDF) in mapping a new Community Economics <\/i>(CE) framework for the UK. His article also nicely defined the CE concept in the context of this article…<\/span><\/p>\n

Community Economics is a model that harnesses the skills, knowledge and capability present in all communities; it has the potential to bridge the gap between rich and poor that current, free market economics create, and that we know is failing an increasing percentage of the population denied access to the finance needed to create jobs, opportunity and capability.<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The CDFA work goes on to detail some significant structural changes that are under way or which are needed.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n