Imagine if you were part of a community that had almost unlimited resources to invest in community assets, people and nature
Imagine new kinds of businesses and ‘banks’ being the heroes of society because of the real wealth and wellbeing they create for everyone!
Imagine businesses being so much part of the community that customers would do everything they could to make them successful because they felt supported by enterprise rather than exploited by it!
This is one way of envisioning a wellbeing economy and It is possible to start building it right now
within the existing market
outside the control of politicians and
without need of support from banks or shareholders
It is based upon a completely new kind of mutual legal structure called a Commons Trust Corporation that funnels the surplus from mature enterprises into a Commons Trust governed by and for its members and other stakeholders in the network.
A Commons Trust Corporation is a mutual umbrella structure in which specially established charities own a network of mature companies and distribute 100% of company profits. The innovation is in the way they do this which allows the companies to continue being successful and creates a stable, sustainable and transparent system of production and distribution that is both just and legitimate.
It does so by:
growing the network of companies owned
rewarding the people who have created the surplus ( managers & employers)
operating a form of organisational democracy that allows people to have a say on where surplus is invested and
investing capital every year in the things that communities want
Such as:
mutually owned land that is held in perpetuity by communities so that housing can be more affordable
community farms in every community that are mutually owned in perpetuity so people can be involved with growing and producing food and have direct access to nature and quality food
schools that have greater independence from government and council control to support their pupils in he ways they see fit
local health centres of different kinds that are an addition to the NHS which can’t continue growing as it is
arts and sports programmes and facilities that are community owned and sponsored
customized apprenticeships and training for young people
environmental and biodiversity initiatives
social enterprises and new start businesses
in fact whatever community members decide is a priority
What would you like to see supported in your community?