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Austrian leader backs far-right idea of enshrining cash in constitution (www.euractiv.com)
submitted 3 years ago* by to c/europe@feddit.de
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Austria’s conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer wants the right to use cash enshrined in the constitution, he told Austrian media in remarks published on Friday (4 August), an idea the far-right Freedom Party has been pushing for years.

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[–] 3 points 3 years ago (2 children)

Poor people? Since when can a poor person not get a bank account?

Have you considered that some people don't have their life all in order? May have a drug issue?

And since when can a refugee not pay by card?

The issue is that most arrive in the EU without an EU bank account. So, yeah, the first few weeks or months, they will not have a bank account.

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  • [–] 1 point 3 years ago (1 child)

    I get though plenty of drugs and ironicly buy them all cashless with crypto. Those people are still entitled to a basic account under a lot of countries legislation.

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  • [–] 3 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago) (1 child)

    So, one, with most cryptocurrencies you're not anonymous and every transaction is on a blockchain. Buying drugs with those may bite you later, depending on whether you develop any kind of ambition to be someone who's interesting enough to investigate. Two, this comment is not about being entitled to a bank account but about having enough order in your life to handle opening/using an accoutlnt.

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  • [–] -2 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    And what makes you think that the people youre arguing for, which are btw a tiny minority that is unmeasurable, are better with cash?

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  • [–] 2 points 3 years ago*

    And what makes you think that the people youre arguing for [...] are better with cash?

    Cashless systems right now are privatized systems that are set up to be more exclusionary than cash. (I admit, there are niches where they do help inclusion, such as for blind people, but still.)

    And this shows in really simple examples: I can give a child cash and tell them to get ice-cream without compromising my bank account and without the child needing to know any of my secrets or needing to have a bank account. I can give a homeless person cash without telling them my name or bank account and without them needing a bank account.

    If there were a state-provided privacy-first cashless system that worked for everyone age 5+ which didn't need to refinance itself on the back people going into personal debt, I'd be mostly for it. The only thing missing then would be the intuitive spending control you get from using physical money but maybe there's a solution for that.

    But right now, there are few giant multinationals plus local banks who make a lot of money on the current system and they will do everything to prevent this kind of idea for obvious reasons.

    which are btw a tiny minority that is unmeasurable

    I am pretty sure you can find out how many people there are who are excluded by current cashless systems, if you try.

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  • [–] 0 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    Have you considered that some people don’t have their life all in order? May have a drug issue?

    Yes, i have also considered that i am vegan and stores can still sell meat. Nonissue. Or do you also argue against and ID System?

    The issue is that most arrive in the EU without an EU bank account.

    When i go to the US i can pay with my german mastercard in every store everywhere.
    This is an issue for EU countries to get over, not me.

    Cash and crypto have more bad than good sides.

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  • [–] 2 points 3 years ago*

    Have you considered that some people don’t have their life all in order? May have a drug issue?

    Yes, i have also considered that i am vegan and stores can still sell meat. Nonissue.

    So, you're saying it's great to be discriminated against?!

    I would go about this the other way: Being vegan is a societal good (because it means you're likelier to stay healthy; it means less resource usage; yadda). Hence, society/the state should make it as easy as possible to be vegan. A few years ago, when mainstream stores were few vegan-friendly besides produce, being a vegan was a pain though. Now, however, you have non-vegans pick up oat milk at Aldi.

    Enabling people to not be criminal is a societal good as well.

    Or do you also argue against and ID System?

    No. I see legitimate reasons for a country to know its inhabitants. I do object to the fact that I need to present my ID when it's not really necessary, like at a hotel though.

    The issue is that most arrive in the EU without an EU bank account.

    When i go to the US i can pay with my german mastercard in every store everywhere.

    I realize you're not a refugee.

    Cash and crypto have more bad than good sides.

    Crypto is, by and large, bullshit. But what does it have to do with this discussion?

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