Examples of a new economy

A bunch of hopeful operating systems ready to be scaled up

We’re approaching the end of the year according to some human made calendars and it’s a clearly defined time to re-think, re-imagine and start anew. This year was no worse or better than the year before - different brutalities, different wonders, still brutal realities and meaningful wonder persist. 

What I’ve heard over and over is the need for us all to step into the “new” paradigm, to leave this broken world behind and collectively transform into something alternative. But as humans, many of us talk and very few implement. The constant confusion, or fear, of the actual doing is strong. And somehow it seems as if we’re enormously fearful of failure and therefore prefer to wait, discuss and plan the perfect and glorified pathway forward.  

But in this safe mess of verbalised innovation, some brave figures and organisations stand out. With curiosity and amazement I see how they operate in new economic systems, they prototype possibilities and they’re not waiting for permission to remodel our shared realties. So, to inspire all of us to actively roll up our sleeves and dive into change rather than simply just talk about it, here are some operating voices that lead. 

A few weeks ago I met Jennifer Brandsberg-Engelmann and got completely starstruck with her energy and fearless force to rethink which type of economic knowledge we teach teenagers. She has produced an open source book for secondary schools - Regenerative Economics, which is now being used by teachers who themselves see the need for an updated curriculum. What I adore about Jennifer is that she didn’t wait for a government or authority to order the book. Instead she organised the project and pushed through, knowing that it would become an important part of sharing wisdom to a future generation. 

With similar persistence, I’ve followed the work by Vicky Saunders and the organisation Coralus. Years ago, Vicky created a foundational framework for working with the world’s shared problems while investing in new ways that would never end with monetary returns or classic startup exits. Instead she created the invitation to a strong community with a focus on meaning, care and hope. Coralus is constantly being transformed and refigured by its members and there’s a healthy experimental attitude towards all they do. 

In my home country Sweden (a place I’m often criticising for being too privileged and too ignorant), I see tiny hints of hope. Stockholm School of Economics recently established the world’s first Professor of Wellbeing, Welfare and Happiness. It can sound a bit trivial, yet if you dig deeper into the role of happiness within economics it leads to dialogues on equality, meaning, existence and joy. 

The other Swedish initiative I’m following with amazement is the campaign “Fund your mother” who tries to create large-scale awareness to how citizens unknowingly are funding fossil fuel through their pension funds. The organization energetically spreads facts and collects signatures to stop the investments, while pushing on the funds and banks to disrupt this system. 

I could keep adding economic initiatives that are clear and transforming (Tax The Rich and a multitude of organisations trying to level out wealth, Dr Brenner and their idea of maximum salaries etc). But I will end this brief article with Hot Mess Express, an organisation made up of mums who rescue other mums. They serve women in their communities with no judgement through cleaning, organizing, and offering a fresh start. It’s a system of gift economy in a beautiful form seeing the need for women and mothers to be taken care of in a collective spirit. 

With all of this said, this is a short text written from a severely privileged angle. How we are to tackle global acute emergencies while not even being able to live justly ourselves remains painful. But in that pain we can choose to be active or to keep talking. Examples of a new economy exist and we might just need to become better at finding them, sharing them and spreading some sort of economic bravery in a very broken world.