No, David Bowie isn’t the new Queen of England. Though he does have one thing in common with Queen Elizabeth II: they’re both pictured on British currency.
In the Brixton community, new David Bowie ten-pound notes have been popping up as alternative currency. While the central government urges vendors not to accept the Bowie notes, over 200 local businesses are signed up for the “Brixton Pound” program.
Speaking to The Anti Media, Tom Shakhli, manager of the Brixton Pound effort, said, “They are using it because they want to feel connected to the local area. Every time you use it, you’re like a financial activist. You’re taking part in this act which is subverting the norm, which is to hand over your £10 note very passively.”
He continued, saying his main goal is for people to ask, “What is money? Does it have to be either printed by the state or created by the banks? Why can’t money be localized? Why can’t money feature a pop star or a black historian? Does it have to feature establishment figures?”
The government has responded to this program, discouraging its existence. “Local currency schemes lead to significant and unanticipated impacts on aggregate economic activity… local currency paper instruments are like vouchers and not banknotes.”
Whatever the case may be, we can surely all agree that David Bowie looks cool on a ten pound note.
[Photo via NYTimes]