Currencies featured include:

Banco Palmas, Brazil
WIR Bank, Switzerland
The Business Exchange, Scotland
Community Connect Trade, USA
RES, Belgium
PuntoTRANSacciones, El Salvador
Brixton Pound, England
Talente Tauschkreis Vorarlberg, Austria
Equal Dollars, USA
BerkShares, USA
Chiemgauer, Germany
SOL Violette, France
Ithaca HOURS, USA
Dane County Time Bank, USA
Blaengarw Time Centre, Wales
Community Exchange System, S. Africa

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People Money - Contents 

In Part 1, The Case for Regional Currencies, the authors survey the present monetary system – its history and purpose - and explain its inherent weaknesses. They include a short history of regional currencies and their effects, with many examples. (The oldest one in existence today is the WIR bank in Switzerland, now 78 years old with a turnover of the equivalent of 1.627 billion Swiss Francs in 2010.)

The characteristics and purpose of the various models of commercial- and community-oriented currencies are  explained, with examples from rich and poor, urban and rural communities. Different types of currency – voucher systems, circulating currencies, exchange rings and micro-credit banks – are looked at in detail.

A regional currency should ideally:
  1. represent a win-win situation for all participants
  2. be organised with the aim of mutual social benefit
  3. be professionally run
  4. be transparent for its users
  5. be democratically governed
  6. be sustainably financed
  7. contain circulation incentives.
Using the experience of organisers of regional currencies, the authors describe the administration and governance of the currencies, how to cooperate with other financial institutions, clearing systems and the issue of taxation.

Part 2, Regional Currencies in Practice, focuses on the ‘how to’ of developing a regional currency and the benefits that have accrued as a result of their implementation.

Regional currencies can be started by individuals, businesses or local government authorities. Through years of experience and in-depth interviewing of the organisers of different currencies, the authors have developed a framework of 5 phases for new developers to work from. Each of these phases is clearly explained so that, by the end, currency designers will have a:
  • Currency mechanism
  • Cost recovery model
  • Management structure and key job descriptions
  • Appropriate governance model
  • Marketing strategy: a suitable name and the beginnings of a corporate identity
  • Training needs assessment and plan to recruit ‘multipliers’ who will publicise and explain the concept throughout the region.
  • Map of other projects in the regional and social economy, which are complementary to the regional currency and could work together
  • Project presentation portfolio for decision makers and multipliers
Finally, the book profiles of some of the leading organisers of regional currencies around the world, explaining their driving passion and the nuances of each of the models – how the currency started, how it developed, the difficulties encountered on the journey, and how these were overcome.

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Related Titles:
Money and Sustainability

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