Crossposted from https://fedia.io/m/humanrights@crazypeople.online/t/4433054

Belgium plans to do away with paper cheques. Apparently no one is fighting this. The eagerness to do away with paper cheques can only be attributed to addiction to convenience without regard to the consequences.

Once paper cheques are gone, there will be no way to survive without banks. Even if you walk away from your job and go on social aid, the social aid has no way to reach you without a bank account. Paper cheques are the sole means having personal autonomy from banks.

Some pensioners still receive their pension payment as a paper cheque, which they can cash without having a bank account. Belgium is taking this away.

I thought cheques required a bank to use? Cash is the only option which doesn't.

I thought cheques required a bank to use?

Depends on the kind of cheque. Belgium has five different kinds of cheques, some of which must be deposited into a bank account. Some cheques can be cashed, in which case you do not need an account and do not need to patronise a bank. You are purely a burden to them in this case. In this case, the cheque is a cash access mechanism that does not require licking any boots.

Cash is the only option which doesn't.

Cash gives the greatest autonomy but receiving a salary in cash has been banned in Belgium for like decade or so now. So the paper cheque is currently the sole mechanism for autonomy in Belgium.