It’s one thing to talk about a new economic model–it is entirely another thing to implement it. In this section, we discuss potential new systems and structures for implementing an Integrative Economy.
We think there will be three primary changes which will need to happen if we are to transition to an Integrative Economy.
1. Expand how we measure the economy: Right now we use the GDP (Gross Domestic Production) but for an Integrative Economy, this measurement is far too limited. We are failing to measure social and environment work that is such a necessary part of our economy.
2. Expand the number of work sectors from three to four: Right now, we have three primary work sectors where you can seek employment–market, government or the illegal sector (which takes everyone who can’t find work in the other two–crime is one way to make a living). Yes, we also have the non-profit sector–but these are funded primarily by the market or government sectors. We need to add the “Local Community Capacity” sector–this area will include work that impacts social and environmental work needs at the local level.
3. Expand the ways we can accumulate wealth in order to fund our lives: Right now we have a mono-culture money system–it is primarily Federal dollars being traded. The problem in this mono-culture is that if anything happens to the Federal dollar/banking system (see the Great Recession of 2008), there’s no resiliency. By expanding the ways we can accumulate wealth and trade services for our needs, we strengthen the way we can perceive wealth and be wealthy!
These 3 changes are all doable. And all 3 integrate with each other. As we expand economic measurement to include social and environmental criteria, it enables the expansion of the new Local Community Capacity work sector. Much of the work that will be done in the Local Community Capacity sector will be found in the social and environmental areas. And as we expand the ways we can accumulate wealth in order to support our livelihoods, it will also enable much of the work in the Local Community Capacity sectors. Weaved together, these 3 steps make an Integrative Economy possible.
For more details on each, look under this Implementation heading. And keep this in mind–to build an Integrative Economy we need to take three three steps: