Maybe I just mean stocks in general, not the stock market or exchange. But stocks without public trading and speculating are still around and a good thing that can support creating value.
I own some stock in my bank and a farm.
For the farm, the stocks are intended for the farmer to invest in equipment or whatever they need. I work 4x a year at that farm (either packing cheese or cleaning something) and I pay for my milk, cheese and yogurt. The stocks are a great way for the farmer to get some cash for investments without involving banks. We’re about 100 people who own stock and do the quarterly shifts, but the main value is created by the farmers, their animals and the land.
Regarding my bank, any stock I buy from them enables them to do stuff with 7x the amount of money I gave them. E.g. if I own 10k in stock, they can use it to finance a 70k loan for someone.
For both, I can vote on important topics and future projects. For me this ensures my bank only invests sustainably and the milk and cheese I consume come from a farm that is nearby, organic and treats its animals well.
Armok_the_bunny@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Value creation doesn’t have to be a zero sum game, just because that’s what the stock market has turned into doesn’t mean it has to be the case.