Community Currencies & Barter Networks

In 1973, Teruko Mizushima started the Volunteer Labor Bank in Japan - the world's first time bank. This article tells the history of the Volunteer Labour Bank and looks at the legacy of Mizushima's project today.

Remaking Money for a Sustainable Future: Money Commons by Ester Barinaga Martín was published in 2024 by Bristol University Press in its series Alternatives to Capitalism in the 21st Century. The book provides an in-depth view and thorough analysis of various money arrangements.

Ekhilur, a nonprofit citizen cooperative, is pioneering an innovative approach to strengthening the local economy. Instead of creating a new currency, it operates its own payment system — regulated by the Bank of Spain — to maximize the circulation of the existing euro within the community for as long as possible.

In this Solidarity Chicago session, you will learn historical and contemporary examples of how our communities have employed rotating savings and credit associations, peer-to-peer lending, and other creative methods of harnessing capital.