In 2013, CNBC published an interesting commentary by Scott A. Shay, Chairman of Signature Bank titled ‘Cashless society: A huge threat to our freedom’ and said the following:
There are certainly positive outcomes that can be obtained by going cashless. For example, banning sale transactions of cigarettes or sugary drinks or stopping cardholders from overeating, gambling, or whatever other vice is targeted, could lead to a decrease in these vices and their associated problems. A decrease in those problems could positively impact other areas, like, for example, our nation’s health-care system. A cashless society would probably also mean less street crime. Yet in return for these benefits, there is an incalculable cost to our humanity. We would lose our freedom to make decisions. It is easy to imagine a totalitarian regime using these tools to great harm. Given current U.S. government policies, it is also very easy to imagine even a liberal government such as our own, being sorely tempted to use the confluence of these technologies. And once used, because they are so very, very powerful, even liberal governments will be enticed into using them until there is pretty complete monitoring and control of every transactionWhen a banker admits that a “cashless society” poses a danger to the human race, you know something is terribly wrong.
1 comment:
If the government shifts to a "cashless" society large sections of the economy will become illegal as marginalized people conduct commerce in unofficial systems.
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