Lågent

Lågent is a term used in speculative fiction and online worldbuilding to denote a role or institution within a cooperative economy centered on lending and resource sharing. The word appears in fan-created glossaries and community wikis and is not widely attested in mainstream languages. The term is typically described as a neologism formed from the Swedish verb låna "to borrow or lend" combined with a suffix or English-language element such as -gent, intended to evoke a person or agent who coordinates lending.

In fictional settings, a lågent might supervise a network of peer-to-peer exchanges, maintain records of credits and debits, and resolve disputes. They may operate within structured systems like time banks or communal resource libraries, where members earn credits by lending items and spend credits when borrowing. Some interpretations emphasize governance, accountability, and transparency, while others focus on the social bonds created by reciprocal aid.

In contemporary worldbuilding discussions, lågent is sometimes contrasted with roles such as librarian, steward, or mediator, highlighting different emphases on knowledge, resource management, or trust-building. The concept is flexible and often adapted to fit the needs of a particular fictional universe or community project.

See also: time banking, mutual aid, resource sharing, peer-to-peer economy.