Saturday, August 2, 2014

Moriarty


I took my browser out for a stroll in Palestine this morning. I wanted to see if it was possible to purchase anything, and although it might be possible, some of the few sites that claimed to accept payment cards, seemed dodgy at best. Western Union said I had to go show up in person, and various other methods routinely accepted as legitimate payment methods in most countries did not work. 

The Palestine Authority built a gross real time payment system. It has a pipe to rebuild an economy, to loan money, to build infrastructure, to create a working civilization, but the bully boys won’t let it happen.
I wonder if the world can use the payment structure in place to stop the fighting and build a healthy independent government that wants trade with its neighbors not their destruction.  What will happen if the world in a unified voice says there will be a job, or a classroom chair, or a passport to the outside, to everyone in Palestine that wants one? If the missiles became dollars, would the majority of the people turn on the bully boys, and get back to the real work of living and building in peace. 

I do not believe that the majority of the people living in Gaza want this conflict, or see any future other than agony and death in this fight.If people see how to transform their world by using a modern payment system, will they have the courage to stand up to their bully boys and kick them out? I think they will, but only if they believe they can travel, own a thriving business, or go to a steady job every day.  The promise must be real. Soldiers cannot make promises, only politicians can do that.  Look to the example of Germany and Japan after World War II. Compare those results to the actions by politicians in the Middle East over the same period.

Next Blog: The concept of Friction in Payment systems, and its use and abuse

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