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Free Money of Wörgl & Complementary Currencies Summer School for Alternative Economic and Monetary Systems Free Money of Wörgl & Complementary Currencies Vienna, July 24th, 2015 Speaker: Heinz Hafner & Veronika Spielbichler Unterguggenberger Institute, Wörgl is a registered non-profit society, founded in 2003 for the documentation and public education on the WWII free money experiment in Wörgl as well as for contemporary research on complementary currencies nowadays. The Unterguggenberger Institute initiated the „LA21 youth project I-MOTION“ in 2004. The society is a founding member of the initiative „Neues Geld in Österreich 2007“ and addressed a petition onto the Austrian Parliament in 2008. unterguggenberger.org archiv.unterguggenberger.org neuesgeld.com Money for the Freedom of Creation • PART I ~15min impuls from the past Free Money of Wörgl („Wörgler Freigeld“) an historic show case • PART II ~15min impuls from the present complementary currencies today options & experiments (flattering & colourful) • PART III ~60min impuls for the future an interactive approach to currency design classification sheet drafting PART #1 – impuls from the past The monetary experiment in Wörgl – Wörgls Free Money a short outline on a historic show case Initial situation: the historic economic situation in the region of Wörgl The driver: Mayor Michael Unterguggenberger – his life Prearrangements of the Free Money experiment: - foundation of the Free Economic Group of Wörgl - political decisions within the municipality Realization: creation of a demurrage voucher, which represented the worth of labour time – monthly charge in the form of stamps that needed to be bought and sticked onto the voucher – construction programme – facilitation of consumption – fostering municipal taxes – creation of an infinite cycle After life of the experiment: Imitations and copycats in Austria, international attention by the media Between 1900 and 1930 the small town of Wörgl Develops as an industrial and commercial center due to its convenient location mainly based on the railway infrastructure. Wörgl 1930 The global economic crisis triggered by a stock market crash (1929) hits the town and surroundings very hard in numbers: Wörgl: 400 family sustainers unemployed (4.200 inhabits in total) Region: 1,500 people lose their jobs. state aids only for a few weeks after that mere economic survival fight on an individual base prevailed Michael Unterguggenberger born: August 15th, 1884 - Hopfgarten born into a humble working-class family started an apprenticeship as mechanic In 1905 he became a train driver at the Austrian federal railway. In 1919 he became vice-mayor for the social democrats Mayor from 1931-1934 Michael Unterguggenberger (cont) A gifted musician head and instructor of the workers’ youth band in Wörgl in the 1920s He was active member in several associations and with his help, the local trade union grew from 100 to 800 members he was a true networker & inspirer! 1931: foundation of the Free Economic Group of Wörgl a cooperation of merchants and caterers INITIALIZATION: Political cooperation across partisan borders the fiduciaries of the Free Money project in Wörgl (starting from the left): Dr. Georg Stawa (head of the Home Guard and financial advisor of Wörgl), mayor Michael Unterguggenberger, Rudolf Winkler (secretary of the municipality), and vicar Matthias Riedelsperger The Free Money of Wörgl financed by Wörgls Free Money Infrastructure programmes: construction of new roads all over Wörgl (1932), a new bridge, additional living and storage building for the villages’ mill, even a ski jump ALL IN MIDST OF HARD ECONOMIC TIMES! After a hard start in means of acceptance of “Arbeitswertscheine” (the coupons-based compl. currency) pay-day and daily life integrated the “money” as a normal part! More and more “players” joined … … in 1933 the neighboring village of Kirchbichl began the construction of its own open air bath based on Wörgls free money … Wörgls Raiffeisen-bank became a partner Michael Unterguggenberger an innovative mayor but his inventions became illegal … The idea of a municipal bond for lowering the burden of interest was the next step … Granting of credit with 6% interest to local businessmen for buying goods elsewhere (out of the Schilling-coverage of the Free Money) The interest was used as care for the poor as it was done with any revenues, created by the issuance of Wörgls Free Money (stamp-charges, 2% conversion charge, etc.) Even a resolution was directed onto the parliament of Austria for the legitimisation of free money as a fundamental help during economic crisis. However, this wish was not granted. Instead: free money was forbidden by the National Bank of Austria. eventually Mr. Unterguggenberger called even for a “Free State of Wörgl” BUT: HISTORY TOOK A DIFFERENT ROAD BUT²: Media Coverage & Public Interest on “Freigeld Wörgl” never died upon AND was never higher then at present Part #1 - lessons learned: • a working complementary currency is a possibility Wörgl Freigeld: NO FICTION BUT PAST • it takes ambitious people and goals • expect a hard introduction period even when the need is already high • not “the one and only solution/invention” counts but the targeted formation and development over time shows success • even local municipal authority could not withstand the given “overmacht” Money for the Freedom of Creation PART #2 – impuls from the present complementary currencies today real options or just flattering & colourful experiments? . Huge variety and constantly growing … local/international, old-fashioned/digital, … . Lots of active initiatives and even first best practice candidates . Just to name a few occurences and aspects: regional complementary currencies, barter systems, time banks, commons-based, gift economy, basic income, democratic banks, cooperatives, energy cards, crypto currencies, education coupons, senior care systems, micro-credits, … Complementary currencies according to their purpose backed by established lead currencies – purchasing power retention • Regio‘s (“Chiemgauer”, “Waldviertler”), „Einkaufstaler“ (merchants) • Multi-way vouchers (demurrage) vs. one-way vouchers • Basic principle: conversion against national currency backed by goods and services – self empowerment • Barter systems, local exchange trading systems (LETS) • Basic principle: mutual credit creation community based – fostering of the community • Time banks • Centralized creation of money – all user accounts are positive combined systems: • E.g. “Regiostar”, “Talente” (Allmenda Social Business e.G. in Vorarlberg) a manifesto is the mother of a new movement In 2009: Guiding principles for „Neues Geld“ in Austria (consensus papers) • Stability of purchasing power – The user will receive an equivalent in the form of labour (time). – The circulation of money is steerable and demand-based. This can be done through de-evaluation or taxation of money (demurrage) or through an expiry date. • Democratic basis – The creation of money happens at the basis: every person can create money and there is a democratic control of the system. – Transparency for every user: the size of money supply and the rules of the system are made public, they are clearly understandable to everyone. • Fostering of the community – Promotion of solidary structures of society and economy – Involvement of everybody to the benefits of work rendered to the public (involvement of the citizens, volunteering, charity work, etc.) • Sustainability – Promotion of a resource-efficient and close-to-nature means of economy – Promotion for the creation of regional economic cycles Today lots of „players“ within the „complementary money movement“ are actively working on common ground installation for further, stable development to get out of mere experimental phase – who, when, what will win the race „becoming the figurehead“ uncertain still - no single institution or movement-pope yet – where is our Steve Jobs of CCS WARNINGS FOR THE UPCOMING INFO Keep in mind and be warned: • We are in a huge transition phase within society => all details mentioned here have very short half-life-expentancy => no “player” with “claims for truth” will hold for long – or but ? • The landscape is highly scattered and there exists difuse situation => Keep in mind local and sectorial specifics => “ONE solution” on the one end can mean cure or poison on the other • Power, decision making and organisational implementation (central/decentral) Every innovative approach needs acceptance by “the stakeholders” Every viable enablement is leading to decisions, power and structures • Sustainability => The environmental health state of our planet is at stake => Our psychic and economical resistances are at the edge so shocks should be exptected So ALWAYS take into decent considerations BE PREPARED, WHEN confronted with INSPIRING STUFF or PEOPLE OPEN-MINDED & AMBITIOUS especially in the field of „compl. curr. systems“: BUT ALSO CAUTIOUS! Regionally well-known and best practice candidates in the german spoken area: both in someway mixed models Regional currency: Chiemgauer www.chiemgauer.info cooperative: Allmenda Social Business eG www.allmenda.com most matured and settled austrian cluster: regional currencies in Vorarlberg “Allmenda Social Business e.G.” – regional currencies: • “Vtaler” – includes regional agriculture • “Langenegger Talente” (the village of Langenegg won the Austrian prize for regional innovation in 2010 with this project ) • “Walser Thaler”, “Biosphärenpark-voucher” • (the “Klostertaler” was discontinued) These regional currencies
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