The world of purely electronic money is rushing in on us and we perceive that it cannot be stopped. And that’s regardless of whether we think it’s amazing or scary.
How to deal with such situations? One option I would call pure negation. To cultivate a sense of desperation, to try to stall it, knowing full well that it cannot be stuck permanently. This is where we can include all those lists of rights and constitutional amendments about the right to cash. What good are coins and banknotes to me if a minimum of shops will accept them from me? Or if they charge me a drastic surcharge for processing cash (it can be called an electronic payment discount).
Or we can approach it from the other side. Think in more detail about the problems that arise and what can be done about it. This shows what we need and what is realistically enforceable.
First and foremost, the right to electronic financial services. Just as in the Czech energy sector there is a supplier of last resort, so in the financial world there must be a state-guaranteed institution that will issue me a card and process payments if everyone else refuses.
That is an absolute necessity. But alongside that, we also need a generous state. In China, where cash is effectively no longer used in some places, it is common to deal with small business, local bribes, unreported services, etc. via electronic payments.
That is what needs to be addressed. Trying to save the world of paper notes is a waste of time.