“When would we know our financial system is working?” is the question underlying Long Finance’s goal to improve society’s understanding and use of finance over the long-term. In contrast to the short-termism that defines today’s economic views the Long Finance time-frame is roughly 100 years.

The Long Finance initiative offers an innovative approach to long-term financial thinking. Its core objectives are to:

• expand frontiers - develop methodologies to solve financial problems;
• change systems - provide evidence-based examples of how financing methods work and don’t work;
• deliver services - including conferences and training using collaborative tools;
• build communities - through meeting, networking and events.

What Should Be Explored Further?

The Long Finance advisory board recently identified a list of ideas which they think are worthy of further discussion and exploration by the Long Finance community. These include confidence accounting, index-linked carbon bonds, utility or narrow banking, see-through leverage and alternative currencies. Sign in to the Long Finance News group in the community area for more information and to contribute to the discussion.