Our supporters in a Newcastle area came out on the streets with our campaign!

They started promoting the awareness about our debt based money system for the people who would otherwise  maybe not come across to these information. It’s a way which may well awaken some new people.

Gillian Swanson and Ralph Musgrave had a stall with attractive banners and leaflets for few hours on Elvet Bridge in Durham and few days later across from Grey’s Monument in Newcastle.

Here is their inspiring report:

Just returned from Newcastle, where we had a stall just  for about 4 hours today.  It went very well  –  largely owing, I think, to Ralph’s brilliant banners, which attract people’s attention.  

Most people glance as they pass by and walk on, so we are targeting leaflets on those who stay reading for some time, quite a few of them wanting to talk for a bit.

I’ve been finding the easiest way to get the subject across is to start by explaining how notes and coins are actually sold to the banks at a profit, reducing our tax bills, so why shouldn’t digital money benefit the nation too?  I don’t think that many people grasp the full implications of what we are saying, but they take the leaflets away with them, and with any luck will visit the Positive Money website and see the videos, until it clicks.   It is a wonderful moment when, occasionally, you actually see light dawning in their faces.  The thing is, they want to know, the ones who bother to take the leaflets.  I don’t think we can hope to get mass understanding of the money-creation process, but around 20% of the population should surely be enough (especially if we can convince the younger generation), and that seems feasible. 

One interesting thing, people are definitely surprised when told that cash actually makes a profit for the Exchequer, and this opens them up to new thoughts on the “necessity” of government borrowing. 

I was specially impressed with two grannies, who got the message very quickly.  Both of them asked for extra leaflets to take away and pass on.  Both of them were having to help out their children from what they have saved up for their old age, and were worrying about what the future holds for their grandchildren.

Despite it being not university term time, couple of people who were doing economics at the university came up to us and got involved in serious debates on the subject. 

Because we don’t approach people who are clearly not interested, most reaction has been favourable  –  and we’re not wasting paper.  I actually find committed socialists the hardest to get through to, because they think they know everything about the banks already, when in fact they’re still looking at everything through Marx-tinted spectacles.  Politically-uncommitted people are more open-minded, and very anxious to understand what’s going on; and a few already grasp the situation, and are delighted to see us publicising the issue of how money is created  –  in fact, I’ve been quite surprised at the number of people who say how pleased they are to see us, and thank us for what we are doing.  

(I wish I could help more with carrying all the stuff to and from the car  –  parking in Newcastle was more difficult and less convenient than in Durham.  It would be nice to find a few able-bodied and mechanically-gifted supporters to join in with the carting and assembling process.  I don’t know how Ralph stays so cheerful, doing all the hard work as well as talking to people!)

Anyway, we’re planning to keep this up one day every week, and should get better at it as we go along.  

All the best, 

Gillian