Today I talk with Ben Jarvie. Ben is a Bitcoiner working for Amber App, a Bitcoin-only exchange, and he is also a writer.

In this episode we talk about a piece that Ben wrote for Bitcoin magazine titled "New Zealand's Past, Pūtea, and Future: CBDC vs Bitcoin".

In this article Ben illustrates a fascinating perspective on the contentious relationship between state & centralised money, and the Māori people of New Zealand.

The very existence of a singular undemocratic Reserve Bank of New Zealand goes against the principles laid out in the Treaty of Waitangi for self-determination, though this is conveniently ignored to instead focus on a seemingly unending culture war that sees the Reserve Bank co-opting Māori imagery and symbols of guardianship whilst simultaneously engineering a recession.

More broadly the article outlines how New Zealand has always been at the mercy of overseas banks and the monetary policy of the crown and we are still paying for this today.

Ben and I explore various avenues of discussion here, and we arrive at a place that sees Bitcoin present an opportunity for the empowerment and self-sovereignty of not only Māori communities but all of New Zealand.

If you want to get in touch follow me on twitter at https://twitter.com/TTOVpodcast or send an email to hello@thetransformationofvalue.com and I will get back to you. 

Links:

Ben's article "New Zealand's Past, Pūtea, and Future: CBDC vs Bitcoin" in Bitcoin Magazine - https://bitcoinmagazine.com/culture/new-zealands-past-putea-and-future-cbdc-vs-bitcoin

Amber App - https://amber.app/

Amber App Telegram Tribe - https://t.me/theamberapp/1

Reserve Bank of New Zealand - https://www.rbnz.govt.nz/about-us/tane-mahuta-and-our-financial-system