The Four Ledger System
Why Four Ledgers?
Traditional systems conflate different types of value. Money buys goods, services, influence, and power. TogetherOS separates these concerns:
Ledger 1: Support Points (SP)
Purpose: Governance power
- Earned through contributions
- Cannot be bought, sold, or traded
- Used to vote on proposals and signal priority
- Regenerates over time
Why separate? Governance power should reflect contribution, not wealth. Rich people shouldn't get more votes.
Ledger 2: Reward Points (RP)
Purpose: Economic claims
- Earned through contributions
- Potentially tradeable (future feature)
- Redeemable for goods/services in cooperative economy
- Represents value created
Why separate from SP? You might want to trade economic value but shouldn't be able to trade political power.
Ledger 3: Timebank Hours
Purpose: Direct labor exchange
- 1 hour = 1 hour, regardless of task
- No money involved
- Tracked between individuals or in a pool
- Alternative to wage labor
Example: I help you fix your bike (1 hour). You owe me 1 hour of help with whatever I need.
Why include this? Not everything needs to be monetized. Direct exchange builds relationships.
Ledger 4: Cooperative Treasury
Purpose: Collective resources
- Fiat currency held in common
- Funded by: grants, donations, cooperative enterprises
- Used for: shared expenses, hired coordinators, infrastructure
- Governed by proposals
Why include this? Communities need collective resources. This provides transparent management.
How They Interact
| Transaction | Ledger Used |
|---|---|
| Vote on proposal | SP |
| Signal proposal priority | SP |
| Earn recognition for work | SP + RP |
| Exchange labor directly | Timebank |
| Buy supplies for group | Treasury |
| Hire a coordinator | Treasury |
The Firewall
Critical rule: Money (Treasury) can NEVER become SP.
You can donate to the treasury. You can earn RP for contributions. But you cannot buy governance power.
This firewall prevents plutocracy.
Transparency
All four ledgers are transparent:
- Balances visible (privacy-respecting)
- Transactions traceable
- Rules explicit
- Changes require proposals
Future Development
The four-ledger system may evolve:
- Social Horizon Currency — Local currency for the cooperative economy
- Inter-community exchange — Trading between communities
- Universal Basic Income — Automatic distribution from treasury
These are possibilities, not promises. Development depends on community deliberation.