Foreword.

The purpose of this book is to present a set of new approaches and views on the importance of the type of currency in social relations, and on the role which can be attributed to the monetary instruments not only, as facilitators of trade, but also as agents of social change.

Throughout this book, the historic and present day features of the monetary instruments are reviewed and proposals made on the alternatives uses of monetics (electronic money) in a coherent and democratic manner.

The topic is rather intricate but not complicated. Althoug dealing with such an apparently dry issue as money, the reading is generally amiable and within reach of any reader interested in the search for new routes of social change. It is not a technical book, nor one for economists, who may miss explicit references to classify it under any school of economic thought.

Material has been collected to support the bold hyphothesis that forms the basis of a reflection shared with other people who attempt to go beyond the prevalent world model.

The book is an introduction to the over fifty years of research of Agustí Chalaux, a French-Catalan industrialist. As defined by the Law of Felson: «to steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal them from many persons is research». He has «stolen» what he has found of interest here and there, without taking undue notice of forms or of sources. The result is an original analysis and debatable proposals, full of undoubtedly stimulating ideas.

Martí Olivella submits, in a short, reduced scope and systematized manner, the voluminous -but largely unwritten- work of Chalaux. This free version is the result of many hours of talks, draftings, and corrections which the author has spent with him and with other collaborators within the framework of the Centre d'Estudis Joan Bardina during six years. The book includes also references of research carried out, among others, by Joan Parés, Magdalena Grau and Lluís Maria Xirinacs.

Because of the extent of this topic, the author has left for a future book, the reflections and proposals based on monetics relating to the more complex view of the exploitation systems, new paths for social change and a new social frame which will lead to a reduction of the political, economic and ecological malfunctions of the present system.

EcoConcern, which brings together persons concerned with social innovation (ecology, economy and ecumene/intercultural relations), wants to co-operate to echo the critical analyses and the constructive proposals which may bring about an integral and coherent social change. EcoConcern would like this book to be the first of a series of other new models, helping to initiate a debate and research among those who believe that we do not live in the best possible world.

In the environment of transformations and crises that we are enduring, free from the weight of dogma, it seems important to find and work out new solutions which take into account other variants that have been up to now underrated. We can not ignore any new proposals that may assist us in testing new policies in this period of historic opportunities in a changing world scene.

EcoConcern, Social Innovation Association.