Cash: The Democratic Currency

In this episode, we challenge the myth that cash is outdated or inconvenient. Titled Cash Isn’t King. It’s Democratic., the podcast explores how cash functions as public infrastructure—accountable to the people, not corporations.

From the surveillance risks of digital payments to the resilience of cash in crisis situations, we examine what’s really at stake when societies go cashless. We break down how cash enables participation without permission, safeguards national sovereignty, and contributes to public goods through seigniorage.

We’ve been told cash is on its way out—too clunky, too slow, too analogue for a digital age. But behind the slick adverts and contactless optimism lies a very different story.

In this episode, we examine why cash still plays a vital, often overlooked role in democratic life. It’s not just about pocket change or old habits—it’s about autonomy, resilience, and who controls the terms of access to the economy.

From the strength of public money to the uncomfortable truth about digital monopolies, we trace how the slow erasure of cash reshapes power—politically, economically, and socially. We also explore why central banks still rely on cash in emergencies, and how the profits it generates flow directly into public services.

What’s at stake isn’t just how we pay, but what kind of society we’re building—and who gets left out of it.

Read Frane Maroevic's blog on it: Cash Is Not King. It Is Democratic.

Note: This podcast was developed using Google’s NotebookLM platform