I wonder, are we aware of who within the wider society (apart from other faith groups) are working towards similar outcomes? I came across a website today by an author I first read over 20 years ago – Danah Zohar http://dzohar.com/- I’m not yet au fait enough with her work to know the details, but it does seem, following on from Stephen McKernon’s comment, that she has links/influence in the business arena and is concerned with moving towards a business model that incorporates spiritual values and has as it’s focus the value business can be to community rather than placing shareholder dividend as the main motivation.
I put this here not as something I know a lot about, but simply the coincidence of reading these things on the same day and in the hope that the link may be of use. I would value your opinions regarding her approach.

http://www.positivemoney.org.uk/whats-wrong-with-banking-today/the-problem-with-the-banking-system-video/

http://www.positivemoney.org.uk/our-proposals/video/

But I think such new models are provisional. Economic change is more complicated than we can envisage, and there’s a great deal to learn about the ‘new’ economy along the way.

The emphasis then falls on ‘being on a journey of transition’, with a relatively open mind about the end results. We need the tools to start the journey and keep going.

Do we know enough about business and economics to start this journey?

I’d also suggest this is a ‘spiritual journey’ (sounds trite, but a better phrase hasn’t yet found me). It’s not really about the economy, is it? It’s about the opportunities for being and doing good that the economy affords.

Do we have enough of a link between our spirituality and ‘the economy’ to start this?

These answers were written up on flip chart sheets during a day long meeting for learning. As such they represent the views of a variety of individuals, rather than a collective stance.

- What do you see as the relationship between economics (production, consumption, marketing, financial institutions) and faith?
Can’t serve God (Love) and mammon. Clear choice!!!
Society is the connection. Faith is what makes a group a society.

- What helps and what hinders you in making these connections and act faithfully in relation to the economic system?
We live in a mammon economic system
Economics is how we live and reproduce our lives. Faith is why we do it that way and the meaning we give it. We have/do we have(?) a mismatch?
Our faith is inextricably linked to all our actions. We need to join them up and take responsibility.

- How do you feel influenced and constrained by the economic system? Do you think that our current economic system is broken? If so, how might it be ‘fixed’? Or, what can/should we put in its place?
We can support more co-operative ventures. Phone, gas, electricity, bank, savings – can all be done through co-ops. In Gloucestershire, Glos Community Energy Co-op is encouraging renewable energy and energy savings. If the current system became local again instead of global, this would help. The housing system is a core difficulty (house price escalation).
Can we be honest with our Q selves? We have always sat on the cushioned fence about profit and people. We need to be Levellers!

- Yearly Meeting asked us to move out of our comfort zone. How do you define your comfort zone and what might moving out of it mean for you?
Could I manage without a car?
Giving up my car would mean a complete change of life style as I live in an area with a limited public transport system, but soon I may have to due to age and eyesight.
Have considered – and rejected – the idea of giving up my car altogether. Am now thinking about a car sharing scheme with two friends.
Comfortable to judge/condemn others rather than seek a closer, warmer relationship with a potential Ffriend.
Am I willing to put my money where my mouth is – solar panels?
Can I reduce my heating?

- How might we support one-another as a Quaker community to engage more powerfully and faithfully with our economic system?
Do we want to? Local Exchange Trading offers an alternative – though necessarily limited to its members. Likewise “Fair Shares” which operates on Time.
Get to know each other better, eg car share, meal share, etc
Speak the truth to each other. Ask how/why we live the way we do, are secretive about our wealth and power with each other – it’s a start. Do this so we can have a more honest and loving relationship with each other.
Challenge one another and help one another.

- How do we “face our responsibility as one of the nations which has benefited at other’s expense, to redress inequalities”?
Connect out faith with our actions – Jonathan Dale has a useful list of actions re purchasing, investments, localism, peace, fair trade, which are a good start

- Yearly Meeting encouraged us to “practice speaking truth to power at local level” – what will this mean in practice? What truth will you be speaking? Can you see opportunities or merely obstacles?
Speaking at all is a good start – stand up and be counted! And be aware of consequences and be prepared for them.
I like Edinburgh Quakers’ use of the term “seeking truth with power” in their dialogue process with the military 2 years ago (reported in The Friend). It’s made me question the assumption implied in “speaking truth to power” (even though I do honour the idea behind it) and say: We have power too, and we’re not the only ones with “truth”.

● What do you see as the relationship between economics (production, consumption, marketing, financial institutions) and faith?

It is at best an awkward relationship, and more accurately there is direct conflict between faith principles / practice and the dominance of finance and marketing. The generation of “wants” as part of the way the economy works is fundamentally opposite to faith based living.

Living simply, right livelihood, living lightly through choice – to give participation in economic sphere meaning beyond consuming for consumption’s sake – and acting with integrity within our limited field of influence, being well informed to shop ethically are all ways of faith-based living whilst being in the world but not of the world..

If we are really guided by our faith, we should expect to be moved towards ethical economic choices; our faith, visible as the testimonies, will then be reflected in economics.

● What helps and what hinders you in making these connections and act faithfully in relation to the economic system?

Helps: historical Quaker testimonies and witness, joy of simple living choices, worship – how much we are prepared to follow leadings depends on how much we excuse our own behaviour in terms of what is socially acceptable. Ethical alternatives do exist, which allow a degree of choice, but ultimately we live in the prevailing system and living differently becomes time-consuming but at the same time a meaningful, deliberate choice.
Hinders: marketing pressure, fashion, keeping up with “progress” in society (gadgets, fast-paced living and busy lives with no time for reflection etc.) social norms and conventions

● How do you feel influenced and constrained by the economic system? Do you think that our current economic system is broken? If so, how might it be ‘fixed’? Or, what can/should we put in its place?

Money is a construct agreed by convention to serve mankind, yet mankind is serving money. “You cannot serve God and mammon” (but Quaker businesses did and do!). Some of us are outraged by the apparent lack of consideration for others shown by the greedy and corrupt.

Yes we feel it is broken. It doesn’t even seem to serve people well in the West.. There are ways forward: see for example “Prosperity without Growth” by Tim Jackson. Beyond accepting that we live on a finite planet and so cannot have constant economic growth, it is unclear what could take its place (possibly SSE).

Daily life is very largely dominated by the current economic system – primarily because of employment patterns and requirements. The system is broken and the opportunity to change course ought to be taken. The recent opportunity for change in 2008 due to economic collapse in the finance sector was not taken up and instead it seems that a return to the status quo of debt based and growth targeted economies is the only political course on the agenda. We need to push for a SSE (as above), and encourage recognition that fairness and greater equality are better targets for a successful community.

● Yearly Meeting asked us to move out of our comfort zone. How do you define your comfort zone and what might moving out of it mean for you?

Moving out of comfort zone: being prepared to take risks in order to participate more effectively in the economic system with the aim of transforming it and bringing about the Kingdom of God. Some of us have always lived lightly, whether by choice or necessity.

We are already out of our comfort zone! We try to make ethical choices, even if they cost more, but as we aren’t as a society even breaking even financially, we hope these choices will somehow benefit us in the future. Can we do without the benefits that being part of a modern Western society brings (eg. Healthcare)?

● How might we support one-another as a Quaker community to engage more powerfully and faithfully with our economic system?

Not to shy away from using money to actively express our witness: the love of money is the root of all evil, not money itself (as is often misquoted). We try to develop a mindset where ethical consumption is the norm (eg. Buy second-hand wherever possible). We may also better value those who have access to the spiritual and stop drugging them or putting them in mental hospitals. Some have suggested we support the Occupy/99% movement. We have also looked at the Transition Town movement and possible ways to strengthen the local economies.

● How do we “face our responsibility as one of the nations which has benefited at other’s expense, to redress inequalities”?

By making sacrifices to invest in what is good in those other nations, even if it is to our detriment, valuing investment by the goodwill it fosters not just monetary amounts with the aim that in the end mutual benefit is of greater value to all than extortative dealings.

Support and encourage the recognition that a Steady State Economy is a viable way of conducting economic policy, so that government decisions are geared to attaining an SSE and not tied to the impossible and unequal perpetual economic growth model

We look to what we have to offer and how we may encourage each other in these things. We may need to educate ourselves and back campaigns to redress the inequalities.

We must stop interfering with developing nations and challenge the assumption that they must need or want our kind of development. They may have better ideas of their own!

● Yearly Meeting encouraged us to “practice speaking truth to power at local level” – what will this mean in practice? What truth will you be speaking? Can you see opportunities or merely obstacles?

Opportunities: Quaker witness in our community, the witness of the building, local concerns, lobbying MPs, supporting efforts that aren’t Quaker but are in sympathy, filling the gaps.

Sacrifices that seem hard or even painful at first may in the long run liberate us and open the way to greater happiness (for example switching off the television and participating in amateur dramatics or letting go of an extensive recorded music collection in favour of supporting live acts and performances).

Maybe we should stop trying to “fix” things globally and start cooperating on a local level.

The fact that the situation is so serious also means that what we do may have great significance. This then is a huge opportunity. If we focus on this positive aspect, we may hope that through our steadfast loving witness, the ground may be prepared for solutions that while not allowing us to live as we have lived, may allow us to live as we should.

Quakers have an alternative goal and process which we could do much more to offer to people. Even just people who come to our meetings seeking another way of living their lives and other sources of satisfaction, get very little guidance. So, as i said, I think we should concentrate our efforts on what we do best – direct experience of the Divine.