Summary of the „Algorithm of Sustainability“ (AoS)
Summary of „The Algorithm of Sustainability“ (AdN / AoS)
Introduction: The Core Problem and a New Definition
Our current economic system, often simplistically called „capitalism,“ is defined by the author as a form of dominion in which the interests of the capitalists – i.e., those who possess income-generating assets – have top priority. This leads to the ownership of wealth being rewarded more strongly than productive work. Money and land are kept artificially scarce to extract unearned income from them – through interest and ground rent. The consequence is self-reinforcing inequality, increasingly frequent crises, and the systematic destruction of our natural livelihoods. The Algorithm of Sustainability (AoS) is a counter-design: a rule-based, transparent system that prioritizes stability and fairness over maximal growth and aims to create true market freedom without privileges.
The Three Core Elements
1. The Liquidity Levy (LL)
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What is it? A daily fee on immediately available monetary balances (checking accounts, sight deposits, central bank digital currency). It is calculated and withheld automatically.
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Why? Money is a public good – a medium of exchange, not a speculation object. Hoarding money hinders its function. The LL makes hoarding unattractive and forces money into the economic cycle. It is the sister instrument to the „Sustainability Pulse“ in the global climate system.
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How high? For example, 0.02% per day (~7.3% p.a.). The rate is set by the central bank to enable a subsistence-level Universal Dividend.
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Effect:
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Money is spent or invested instead of hoarded.
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The credit market reflects true supply and demand – interest rates fall to a natural minimum.
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The central bank gains a direct tool for money supply control (withdrawing more money via LL than paying out as UD fights inflation, and vice versa for deflation).
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2. The Land Value Levy (LVL) / Land Value Tax (LVT)
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What is it? A regular levy on the value of land and ground – separate from the value of any buildings on it.
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Two Models:
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Land Value Tax (LVT): For residential, commercial, and industrial areas. The goal is the gradual replacement of all other taxes, especially those on labor (wage and income tax).
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Land Value Levy (LVL): For all other natural resources (agriculture and forestry land, mineral deposits, radio frequencies). The revenues flow entirely into the Universal Dividend.
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Why? The value of land is created by the community (infrastructure, neighborhood, public services), not by the owner. This „ground rent“ should benefit the community.
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Effect:
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No more speculative holding of land vacant.
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Massive relief for labor income, as other taxes are replaced.
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Municipalities benefit directly and can become more resilient.
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3. The Universal Dividend (UD)
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What is it? A regular, unconditional payment to all legal residents – every child, every adult, every pensioner.
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Financing: Exclusively from the revenues of the Liquidity Levy (LL) and the Land Value Levy (LVL).
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Why? It is not a social benefit, but the monetary dividend that every citizen receives for their share of the common heritage (money as a medium of exchange, land, resources). It is compensation for a resource-conserving lifestyle.
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Amount: Calculated as:
UD = (Revenue from LL + Revenue from LVL) / Number of Eligible Recipients -
Effect:
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Secures basic existence and decouples it from the compulsion for growth.
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Replaces complex social systems (unemployment benefits, child benefit, housing allowance, etc.).
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Provides bargaining power in the labor market and enables a new work culture.
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Enables ecological transformation without social upheaval.
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The Cycle: How It All Interconnects
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Everyone pays for using common goods: Those who hoard money pay the Liquidity Levy. Those who own land pay the Land Value Levy.
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All revenues flow into a common fund and are distributed equally to all citizens as the Universal Dividend.
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The money flows into the economy (consumption, investment).
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The recipients have balances again – on which the Liquidity Levy is due again.
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The cycle closes. The total money supply remains stable. No new money is printed – it is merely redistributed.
The Self-Regulating Dynamic (The Law of Dynamic Adjustment)
The system has a built-in tendency towards the mean and reverses the compound interest effect:
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Those who hoard below-average amounts of money receive more UD than they pay in LL – their wealth grows (they catch up).
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Those who hoard above-average amounts of money pay more LL than they receive in UD – their wealth shrinks relatively (it approaches the average).
The Transparent Central Bank (TCB)
It is the operational implementation. Its core promise: Trust through verifiability, not authority.
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Four Pillars:
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Open Algorithms (Open Source): The entire rule code is publicly accessible.
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Automated Rule-Based Control: The central bank does not act on discretion but executes pre-defined rules.
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Data Protection by Design: No transaction monitoring, pseudonymous accounts (mapping only by court order), cash remains available.
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Separation from Credit Creation: The TCB only sets the LL rate. The interest rate for loans forms freely on the market.
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The „Transformative Phase“ and Inflation Control
Implementation may trigger a phase of structural price adjustments (e.g., due to higher resource prices). This is an intended correction, not inflation. True inflation is prevented by the interaction of UD and LL:
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Price Shift vs. Inflation: Some goods become more expensive (resources), others cheaper (goods without embedded high interest costs). The UD compensates for basic needs.
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Direct Money Supply Control: In case of inflation, the central bank withdraws more money via the LL than it pays out as UD. The money supply shrinks.
The Implementation Roadmap (Staggered, Indicator-Controlled)
The AoS is a staircase, not a leap. Implementation is evolutionary and secured by stop criteria.
Phase 1: The „Social AoS“ – Laying the Foundation and Liberating Labor
The initial revenues from LL and LVL are earmarked for two undisputed goals:
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Financing a solidary health and long-term care insurance for everyone.
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Introducing a Disability and Dependency Insurance ( Erwerbsunfähigkeitsversicherung – EUV) for people who cannot work (chronically ill, disabled, elderly) and those who should not work (all children receive a basic child income).
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The crucial result: Labor becomes tax- and duty-free. Wage, income tax, and social security contributions are eliminated. The „laziness“ question does not arise, as healthy adults do not receive an unconditional income.
Phase 2 & 3: Tax Simplification and Replacement
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Replacement of the existing property tax with the LVT.
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Complete abolition of wage and income tax.
Phase 4: The Democratic Option
After successful implementation, society can democratically decide whether to expand the EUV into a full Universal Dividend for all citizens.
The Stop Criteria
The entire process is halted if:
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A: The theoretical subsistence level (market basket) is reached.
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B: A stability indicator is endangered (see below).
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C: 90% of social welfare recipients voluntarily switch to the (potentially lower) UD (acceptance).
Success Indicators (instead of GDP)
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Securing basic supplies for everyone.
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Stability of total debt / financial assets.
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Reduction of social and fiscal bureaucracy.
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Broad wealth building for the majority.
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Maintaining the purchasing power of the UD.
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Infrastructure quality.
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Noticeable reduction in bureaucracy.
International Dimension
The Fair Standards Zone (FSZ)
An alliance of countries implementing the AoS.
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Internally: tariff-free trade.
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Externally: compensatory tariffs on imports from countries with lower standards.
Global Extensions (GCC & GRC)
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Global Carbon Coin (GCC) – for Climate: Every citizen receives GCCs daily (Climate Dividend). Fossil fuel extractors must buy and „burn“ GCCs. A „Sustainability Pulse“ prevents hoarding and funds an environmental reserve.
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Global Resource Coin (GRC) – for Critical Raw Materials: Same principle for finite resources (tantalum, rare earths, phosphorus, but also for pesticides or antibiotics). Each ton of primary extraction must be covered by a GRC, making recycling economical.
Resilience in Crisis
The AoS is also designed for a blackout scenario. The municipal level is the resilience anchor:
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The Land Value Levy is tied to physical property and can be reclaimed later using paper cadasters.
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Municipalities can prepare regional emergency Liquidity Levies (following the example of Wörgl) or offline-capable payment systems (like PIX in Brazil).
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Decentralized energy (e.g., balcony solar power plants) can power the necessary infrastructure for emergency payments.
Who Gains? Who Pays?
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Net Recipients (over 90%): People with low financial assets, families, those living resource-efficiently.
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Net Payers: People with very high financial assets, large landowners, above-average resource users. They also gain from systemic stability and a livable future.
Why Capital Flight Does Not Endanger the AoS
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Land (LVT/LVL) cannot be moved. The levy obligation remains.
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Money (LL) is tied to the currency. Converting money merely transfers it to another domestic account, where the LL is immediately due.
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The No-Bailout Principle ends „too big to fail“ and directs capital into productive, location-bound investments.
The Most Important Misunderstandings – Briefly Refuted
| Criticism | Answer |
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| „That’s Socialism!“ | No – it’s more market-oriented than today. It eliminates privileges (money and land rent) and creates genuine competition. |
| „That expropriates savers!“ | For the vast majority, savings grow despite negative interest – because the UD enables a much higher savings rate. |
| „That will lead to inflation!“ | The UD doesn’t create new purchasing power, it only redistributes. The LL is a direct tool against inflation. |
| „Then nobody will want to work anymore!“ | Pilot projects worldwide show the opposite: people work in more meaningful ways, start more businesses, do more care work. |
| „This enables total surveillance!“ | False. The AoS is designed for data minimization (pseudonymous accounts, no transaction storage, cash remains). The state ends up knowing less about its citizens. |
| „Without tax returns, we lose economic statistics!“ | The AoS creates better data: daily, anonymized data on wealth, land values, and the purchasing power of the UD. |
| „We can never push this through against the elites!“ | A single pioneer country can start. The „elite“ is not a monolith; there is a „Stability Coalition“ (e.g., reinsurers, long-term family businesses) that would support the AoS. |
What Can Be Done Now
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Individually: Talk about it, share the book, ask questions.
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Expertly (Open Source): Help develop the technical infrastructure (e.g., for LL, GCC).
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Locally (Municipal): Examine legal scope, declare oneself an „AoS Municipality,“ prepare citizen dividends from a municipal land value levy.
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Entrepreneurially: Examine one’s own business models, prepare the „Stability Coalition.“
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Nationally: Prepare the AoS as a crisis reserve (draft laws, link activation to a defined crisis event).
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Internationally: Network pioneers, negotiate minimum standards.
The question is not whether we can afford to take this path. The question is whether we can afford not to.


Then financial assets no longer grow exponentially, but automatically tend toward the average. This demonstrates the self-regulating effect of the LL. (See chart)



