The Zero Rupee Bill
The ancient Greek and Roman civilizations did not employ zero. If you think of the Roman numbering system 100 is represented by C and 1000 by M. The ancients did not use a symbol like 0 as either a number or a placeholder. Indian mathematicians are credited with the first use of 0. Arabs used it and introduced the concept along with the decimal numbering system into Europe during their occupation of Spain in the 12th century. It is unthinkable that the development of western mathematics, science and technology would have happened without the number zero. The paradox is that zero is nothing and yet something absolutely crucial.
Now India has contributed another (and related) lateral concept, the zero value banknote. There are millions in circulation. They look like other banknotes but have a value of zero. Why would anyone do this? The answer is that they act as a valuable weapon in the fight against bribery and corruption. India unfortunately suffers a high level of corruption. Officials at many levels in Indian government offices and other bureaucracies demand bribes for all sorts of permits and services.
A group called 5th Pillar set out to combat corruption by issuing the zero rupee notes which people give to officials who demand bribes. The founder of 5th Pillar, Vijay Anand, describes the fake currency as ‘a non-violent weapon of non-co-operation.’ The bills, like others in India, carry a picture of Mahatma Gandhi. They also bear contact details for 5th Pillar and a declaration, ‘I promise to neither accept nor give a bribe’. They are given as a protest and in order to shame the venal official. The zero rupee note makes a statement. The person giving it is not just an individual complaining about a bribe; they are part of a wider movement that is fighting corruption across Indian society. The notes are not always effective in deflecting the extortion but overall they are judged a success in the fight against corruption. Many other countries have shown an interest in using them. So here is another paradox. How can a banknote be valuable and yet worth nothing?
