RGT PRINCIPLES DECLARATION

1. Our fulfillment as human beings need not be conditioned by money.
2. We aim not to promote products or services, but our mutual help in accomplishing a better way of life, through work, solidarity and fair trade.
3. We believe in the possibility of replacing competition, profit and speculation by reciprocity among people.
4. We assume that our actions, products and services may respond to ethical and ecological standards more than to the will of the market, the consumism and short term profit.
5. The only conditions to be a member of the Global Barter Network are: assisting to weekly group meetings for trade, being trained permanently and being "prosumers" (both producer and consumer) of goods, services and knowledge, as recommended by Quality and Selfhelp Groups.
6. We assume that every member is the only responsible for her/his actions, goods or services bartered in the Network.
7. We believe that belonging to a group means no relationship of dependence, since individual participation is free and common to every member of the Network.
8. We claim that groups are not necessarily due to be formally organized, in a permanent way, since the network model implies permanent change of roles and functions.
9. We believe it is possible to combine the autonomy of groups (Clubs or Nodes), in the management of internal affairs with all the principles of the Network.
10. We recommend not to support, as members of the Network, moral or materially, any activity that might keep us apart from the main goals of our Network.
11. We believe our best example is our behavior in and out of the Network. We keep confidentiality about our private lives and prudence in the public treatment of those matters that might alter the growth of the Network.
12. We deeply believe in an idea of progress as a consequence of a sustainable welfare of the great majority of people of all societies.

(mig@lime.plala.or.jp)