Sustaining cultural vitality in a globalizing world: the Balinese example

Abstract

It is generally accepted that massive tourism and a vibrant indigenous culture are mutually exclusive. Bali has so far proven to be an exception to this rule. This article explores a hitherto overlooked socio‐economic mechanism behind that exception. It is a dual complementary currency system used for centuries by highly decentralized and democratic decision‐making organizations. The reasons why such a dual currency system is so effective in mobilizing popular cultural creativity is investigated, and a systems framework is proposed to determine the conditions under which this model could be applicable outside of Bali. This framework is then tested with a second case study: traditional shell currencies in Papua New Guinea. Finally, some potential applications in areas in the world other than traditional cultures are portrayed.

Citation

Lietaer, B. and De Meulenaere, S. (2003), "Sustaining cultural vitality in a globalizing world: the Balinese example", International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 30 No. 9, pp. 967-984. https://doi.org/10.1108/03068290310487531