New Civilization News: Borrowing money to a beggar    
 Borrowing money to a beggar13 comments
picture11 Dec 2008 @ 14:29, by Max Sandor

There is POSITIVE proof that the current economical philosophy is fundamentally flawed.

Its called Grameen Bank and its founder was Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Prize winner 2006 in Peace (NOT in Economy, someone please tell me why!).

I call this kind of proof POSITIVE because Yunus philosophy of borrowing to the poor without any collateral or guarantees at ultra-low rates is considered crazy by common adherents of today's economical structures and yet he achieved a stunning, irrefutable success, and thus a proof of concept beyond the complicated theories of the 'leaders' of today's system.

Recently he started to borrow money to beggars (the title of this little article is no joke!), and with this he is shifting even more the entire cultural concept of an entire country, Bangladesh, considered one of the poorest of the world,

But Bangladesh is a special country. 1999 it was ranked number one in the 'World Happiness Survey' [link] . Even though it is dubious how 'happiness' can really be measured with a survey, it still gives a strong hint.

Helo and I tried to talk to Muhammad Yunus at the recent ExpoManagement 2008 in São Paulo, but, surprise, surprise, we were not the only one, and I guess our connections are not good enough (yet) to skip a line like that in front of us.

Still, at an event at which even I if jumped into a business suit and decorating myself with a Delaveine cravate, no kidding, Muhammad Yunus just walked around smiling in some Bengalese clothes. Sometimes he appeared scared for a short moment when some sudden sharp noises were being heard, a bit as if he lived in fear of an assassination, but for the rest he was...

all relaxed and all smiles.

Several important observations can be made and I think these are critical points:

- a new, 'revolutionary' solution isn't implemented in a single day. Yunus' idea of 'microcredits' to the poor celebrated recently it's 32nd M-b'day (Meme-anniversary)

- the growth of such a new operational basis is depending heavily on successful changes in social subcultures within the general cultural context. In this case, for example, the acceptance of microcredits by women instead of just men, unheard of in that particular context before 1976, and, as another example, the strategy of the bank going to the people, instead of the people coming to the bank. It was the success of reshaping these cultural Memes that opened the way for success for the 'banking to the poor'.

- in Bangladesh Yunus was laughed at in the beginning and his insistence prooved him right. In a Western country anyone thinking of opening up a new bank would likely to wind up in prison or in an asylum.

- Yunus couldn't do without charging some basic interest (at least not yet) like the Swedish JAK concept of a "Members-Bank" [link] . Since the Grameen Bank is already owned by its ('poor') members instead of a few super-rich, that would be the next logical step.

- it remains to be seen if traditional banks are just sitting around and letting this silent revolution spread around the globe, especially in the emerging countries that are getting robbed by them big time. Here in Brazil, I got a fantastic offer the other day: both Visa and American Express offered me charge cards, interestingly with identical interest rates: ONLY 374.5 pa interest rates! (I still don't know how I could let this incredible opportunity slip out of my hands and into the trash can...) No typo!!, in words: threehundredandseventyfour point five percent interest per year, and. of course, there is no specification of the APR, hmmm). The Brazilian media does a good job in NEVER talking about interest rates even though the monthly interest in Brazil rates are higher than the highest YEARLY rate I paid back in the US. But, OK, maybe one other day Ill rant about this one...

- the concept of a 'social business' is not new - what is new is the scale of successful realization of the dream. There is one man who earnestly deserved the Nobel Prize , if you know what I mean...

- be it as it may, the great thing about what Yunus did, he showed that whatever you can imagine, with dedication, persuasion, and persistence:

IT IS POSSIBLE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!





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11 Dec 2008 @ 16:40 by mortimer : The Nobel Prize Criterion
Alfred Bernhard Nobel, maker of dynamite, died in the year 1896, and by his will gave the bulk of his great wealth to benefit mankind, by these remarkable provisions:—



“With the residue of my convertible estate I hereby direct my Executors to proceed as follows: They shall convert my said residue of property into money, which they shall then invest in safe securities; the capital thus secured shall constitute a fund, the interest accruing from which shall be annually awarded in prizes to those persons who shall have contributed most materially to benefit mankind during the year immediately preceding.

“The said interest shall be divided into five equal amounts to be apportioned as follows:—

“One share to the person who shall have made the most important discovery or invention in the domain of Physics;

“One share to the person who shall have made the most important Chemical discovery or improvement;

“One share to the person who shall have made the most important discovery in the domain of Physiology or Medicine;

“One share to the person who shall have produced in the field of Literature the most distinguished work of an idealist tendency;

“And finally, one share to the person who shall have most or best promoted the Fraternity of Nations and the Abolition or Diminution of Standing Armies and the Formation and Increase of Peace Congresses.

“The prizes for Physics and Chemistry shall be awarded by the Swedish Academy of Science in Stockholm; the one for Physiology or Medicine by the Caroline Medical Institute in Stockholm; the prize for Literature by the Academy in Stockholm, and that for Peace by a Committee of five persons to be elected by the Norwegian Storthing.





Begging the question...Why Muhammad Yunus was NOT awarded the associated Prize in Economics http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sveriges_Riksbank_Prize_in_Economic_Sciences_in_Memory_of_Alfred_Nobel#Controversies_and_criticisms maybe has something to do with Sweden's central bank. The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, was instituted by Sweden's central bank in 1968 and first awarded in 1969.

{http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nobel_laureates_in_Economics|List of Nobel Laureates in Economics}  

24 Dec 2008 @ 19:18 by a-d : Dear Max S.
I so love this post! THANK YOU,thank you! I klicked on the two links in the article and both of them spoke "miles and miles" to me about the NEW merging Meme of Loving each other, caring for each other and sharing Life with each other through the Power of Co-operation -as opposed to competing each other out of even the slightest chance to the Good of the Universe, that we ALL RIGHTFULLY have the right to, just via the Cosmic Birthright Factor as it were!

I see two very "different kind of Human "Compounds" coming up with IDEAS they see as possible and they --each-- go ahead and do what they feel being possible -despite ALL the CONVENTIONAL NO,no,can't be done sayers and laws etc... The Bank in Skövde as well as Mr Yunus are both to be commended for their heroic acts of KINDNESS towards People ran over by the System!

That Mr Yunus have taken the effort in re-installing the Birthright of safe and secure Life, that ALL Living beings are entitled to (and in this particular case humans) as a viable option again, is exactly the kind of healing what we as a (Global) Community need to start doing ever more!
He saw the seemingly impossible as totally possible !....and so he went on and did it! Wowwwww!!!! (It sure inspires me in going forward with my little idea!...heheheh... )...As --for instance-- : someone else might find a way to END all testing of all kinds of chemicals on Animal and hence close down ALL ANIMAL TESTING-Labs ) with all their STUPID and UN-necessary suffering for these poor Animals!.. under the guise of "doing good for Mankind"...

So, from the bottom of my Heart: THANK YOU Max!
MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and your Family and special Hugs to the Littlest One! : )
/A-d  

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9 Oct 2009 @ 18:27 by mortimer : Obama Nobel Peace Prize
"WASHINGTON/OSLO (Reuters) - Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in a stunning decision that honored the first-year U.S. president more for promise than achievement and drew both praise and skepticism around the world.

Obama Snubbed In Saudi Arabia? - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t439ruGCqRw  

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