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Discussion Forum : News and Current Events : Sweden Considers Cashless Society

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hmmhmm
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Joined: 2006/1/31
Posts: 4994
Sweden

 Sweden Considers Cashless Society

By Richard Giedroyc, World Coin News
September 13, 2010

Sweden may be a member of the European Union, but to date it has opted not to join the EU’s currency union. If some people in Sweden have their way it may never be necessary to join the currency union, since they would rather see all coins and bank notes replaced with debit and credit cards.

The subject has been simmering for some time, but was brought to the forefront July 17 through a British Broadcasting Corporation report. In this report it is noted there are high profile proponents of a cashless but plastic and electronic transaction driven society that include former Abba band member Bjorn Eulvaeus, several labor unions, and the Swedish Work Environment Authority.



Marie Jarvas, a bank employee and union member who has been robbed twice, is quoted in the BBC report as saying, “If we can reduce the amount of cash in the banks and in society in general, robberies will also be reduced. … If in the long term we abandon cash completely, there will be no robberies because there’s no point in robbing a bank if there’s no cash there to steal.”

Former rocker Eulvaeus is obviously not a coin collector. He recently wrote on his blog that “There are no direct practical reasons, as far as I can see, to have coins and bank notes,” adding, “There are obvious advantages in getting rid of them. Sweden should be able to be the first country in the world to do so.”

I guess Eulvaeus is unfamiliar with electronic warfare, through which all means of electronic transactions could be jammed and possibly wiped out entirely.

Eulvaeus goes further, stating it is patronizing to assume the elderly and others would have difficulty maneuvering through a cashless society. “There are, of course, those who need help, but if as a result they run less of a risk of being robbed then perhaps it would be worth the inconvenience.”

There is little argument that electronic means of payments far outstrip cash transactions not only in Sweden, but in much of the industrialized world today. In Sweden the value of card rather than coin and bank note transactions has increased 500 percent in the past 10 years, while the use of card payment transactions has increased by 800 percent.

London (England) Business School Economics Professor Andrew Scott was quoted by the BBC as saying, “The technology exists for a cashless society. … Its key advantage, in an electronic age, is that it is anonymous and tells you nothing about where it’s been.”

New Welfare Foundation spokesman Par Strom, based in Stockholm, was quick to disagree. Strom said, “If it’s impossible to pay cash when you buy stuff, it’s also impossible not to leave electronic footprints behind you, and the electronic footprints from what you buy put together can tell the entire story about your life. This can be very sensitive information. Most people don’t want this total surveillance society.”

Coin collectors, of course, would side with Strom for other reasons. So would most economists who are familiar with runaway inflation that can be caused by the circulation of too much fiat currency not backed by anything other than the trust in the government and the domestic economy. Unregulated, these electronic transactions could operate the same way.

Regardless of the arguments defending coins and bank notes, it would appear the decision to move towards a cashless society in Sweden may be a done deal, according to the way the BBC account presents the position of Swedish Work Environment Authority spokesman Bernt Nilsson: “Nilsson says it will be several years, at least, before Sweden can finally rid itself of cash.”

In fact, although Sveriges Riksbank or Swedish Central Bank Deputy Governor Lars Nyberg has indicated there is a higher cost to society to use cash rather than plastic and electronic means for transactions the central bank has taken no official position on the debate.

Since, according to the Swedish central bank website, Sweden is still marketing Proof and Mint sets as well as commemorative coins it doesn’t appear the Swedish government is ready yet to discontinue this lucrative money making product.

http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=13953


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CHRISTIAN

 2010/9/21 0:40Profile
Lysa
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Joined: 2008/10/25
Posts: 3699
East TN for now!

 Re: Sweden Considers Cashless Society



Yes, it's headed that way for us too (USA). If you are on "government assistance" (welfare), you get a debit card and the gov't deposits your money into it once a month. They started that back in 2002 (or before - depending on your area).

When they get all the people on government assistance on a cashless program, it's just a matter of time before everyone is put on it.

And really, they don't like cash because they can't follow you with cash!!

God bless,
Lisa


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Lisa

 2010/9/21 4:12Profile
TaylorOtwell
Member



Joined: 2006/6/19
Posts: 927
Arkansas

 Re:

So what's the big deal about a cashless society (aside from privacy concerns)? Is there some kind of prophecy about it or something?


_________________
Taylor Otwell

 2010/9/21 9:20Profile
Josef83
Member



Joined: 2010/8/21
Posts: 111
Sweden

 Re: Sweden Considers Cashless Society

really? I am Swedish, and have never heard such thing.

 2010/9/21 11:00Profile
Lysa
Member



Joined: 2008/10/25
Posts: 3699
East TN for now!

 Cashless Society?



“Is there a prophecy about it?” Taylor, as well as you know your Bible and you are asking that question?? What’s up with that?

Another thing all the big amusement parks are doing is biometric scanning which is all well and good for wanting to know if wanted felons are entering the park or child predators; but where does it stop, will we have to be scanned at the grocery store, at the bank or at to get gas? Where’s it all heading? I don’t know.

For some who may not know, prophecy groups have told us that Revelation 14.9 refers to the antichrist that is coming but really, who knows what God had in mind when he wrote that? ‘And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a great voice, If any man worshippeth the beast and his image, AND receiveth a mark on his forehead, or upon his hand...(asv)’

God bless us all who don't know it all!!!
Lisa


_________________
Lisa

 2010/9/21 11:07Profile
jlosinski
Member



Joined: 2006/9/11
Posts: 294
North Pole, Alaska

 Re: Cashless Society?

The same could have been said about paper money when they switched from coins and gold. Or from livestock to coins. It seems that people have built a systematic theology on "end times prophesy", particularly with the recent advent of technological advances. This will not change the Great Commission, or God's redemptive plan.

 2010/9/21 11:54Profile
TaylorOtwell
Member



Joined: 2006/6/19
Posts: 927
Arkansas

 Re:

Lysa,

In all honesty I'm not aware of such a prophecy. Which verse is it?

-- Edit --

I'm wondering if you're referring to the mark of the beast and not being able to buy and sell without it. I guess I wasn't viewing that verse as necessarily implying a cashless society.

Thanks!
Taylor


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Taylor Otwell

 2010/9/21 11:56Profile









 Re: Sweden Considers Cashless Society


We've been in a cashless society for quite sometime. I use my debit card for most of my purchases and online a credit card. This is really no big news. I prefer the plastic over the cash and coins, looking forward to having them completely done away with as the cashless society is something that is far more superior than that old regime.

 2010/9/21 15:57









 Re:

Quote:
So what's the big deal about a cashless society (aside from privacy concerns)? Is there some kind of prophecy about it or something?



Good question Taylor.

We can fit anything we want into whatever scripture we pull out of the bible and attach itself to that and say, "there, this is prophetic". Sadly enough it's spoken by our well loved preachers and we get hooked on whatever they feed us and we never look to God to find out if it's truth or not. Ignorantly we have all done it.

 2010/9/21 16:03









 Re:

I think if you were a preterist, the notion of a cashless society would raise no eye-brows. If you were a pre-tribber then again, so what, your not gonna be here. Now, if you are a mid or a post, then you know that the first step to the mark is coming by going cashless :) ........brother Frank

 2010/9/21 16:39





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