–– Mark Christopher
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Recently as I returned from a bike ride with my cycling mate, we stopped at a new café that recently opened for a cup of coffee and some stimulating conversation. When it came time to pay the bill, much to our surprise, the waitress announced that they were a cashless business. While we both carry a bit of cash for such an occasion, neither of us had a bank card with us. Fortunately, the establishment in question accommodated us. Not two weeks later Woolworths publicly announced that their coffee shops, attached to their stores, were going cashless.
Whether we like it or not, technology is moving us to a more cashless society. The Payments Association of South Africa is currently implementing strategies to make South Africa cashless by 2030. It remains to be seen if such an ambitious goal is reached in such a short time. The justification for this move toward a cashless culture is that it is much safer for all concerned and it is less expensive for businesses if they do not handle cash. The banking sector certainly agrees with this. But while there is a great deal of truth in such rationale, there are numerous pitfalls to a cashless society. Here are but a few challenges in this rush to a cashless destination:
1. A cashless society will have a negative impact those who are poor because of the need for a cell phone, or computer, or tablet, and connectivity to the internet. This is a very real divide in South Africa and Africa at large. In South Africa the informal sector is completely reliant on cash. It is estimated that some 1.8 million South Africans are employed in informal trade. This doesn’t even begin to factor in the patrons in the informal sector. Add to this the millions of South Africans who are unbanked. For this reason, some states in the US are considering laws that would prohibit a business from being totally cashless. Will South Africa follow suit? So, what is the plan to incorporate the untold millions of low-wage earners into the cashless equation? I haven’t encountered such a strategy yet.
2. Another challenge presented by a cashless society is that some physically and mentally disabled will find using digital services difficult. Some elderly can be added to this list.
3. There are a number of women who may find themselves in an abusive relationship and could lose their financial independence if a cashless society becomes a reality. How will the architects of all things cashless solve this dilemma?
4. While cashless transactions are considered to be safer, making it more difficult for thieves to physically rob a person or business, cyber theft is on the rise. So, the spectre of being hacked or scammed will rise exponentially with whole bank accounts being wiped out and scammers swindling the IT illiterate out of untold sums of money. And in South Africa, we must always factor in the ever-present possibility of load-shedding which is accompanied by connectivity issues and interrupted transactions.
5. Then there is the issue of a loss of personal freedom and privacy that cashless transactions bring. This allows the government to encroach more on personal freedoms and liberties than they already do. If all currency is electronic, then every transaction can be monitored. All of which is a little unsettling in our current political climate. Already in Sweden, thousands of Swedes have had a microchip implanted in their hand to make payment easier.
From a Christian perspective, what does the Bible indicate about such a move? The only intimation from Scripture is related to the tribulation period in Revelation 13:17 where it is said that the Beast will prohibit buying and selling for those who refuse the mark of the beast. Contrary to popular belief, a cashless society is not necessary to fulfil the condition of Revelation 13:17. The conditions mentioned there existed in 1st-century Asia Minor without a cashless society. Christians who were tradesmen were required to belong to a trade guild and participate in the worship of the patron god of that guild. If they refused to belong to such a guild, an ancient form of cancel culture prevailed and they were prevented from participating in the formal economy.
In modern times, many communist countries, like China, have excluded Christians and political non-conformists from participating in the formal economy. Presently, western nations have seen Christian and conservative people and organizations barred from payment platforms like PayPal or had their bank accounts frozen or cancelled simply because of their beliefs.
Yet, even in a cashless culture, an informal or black-market economy will arise. And while Revelation 13:17 does not mandate a cashless society, a cashless society will make it much easier for a totalitarian regime to control its citizens, much like China’s social credit system does. Society’s move in a cashless direction is not proof that the rapture of the church is tomorrow, for the return of Christ has been imminent for 2000 years. So, live as though Christ will return today, but plan as if He won’t!