Local Exchange Trade Systems in the Central European Post Communist Countries

This paper gives information about Local Exchange Trade Systems in the region of former Czechoslovakia, Poland and Hungary. The transition to a market economy proceeded in different ways in these countries, but similar history in the last century (communism under Soviet influence) has led described countries to only small differences in the level of motivation and power of civil society and subsequently in the vitality of LETS circles. In the Czech Republic, the first LETS was established in autumn 1999, however, nowadays from the 3 systems, none is active at present. Similarly in Slovak Republic from 10 to15 LETS circles between 2000 and 2005 the only LET system works untill present time. LETS in Poland develops from the early 90s and is in decline even few places are active at present day. Also the LET system in Hungary was very passive but there are some new signs and new initiatives from the year of 2004. The possible reasons of the LETS developments in so called Visegrad countries are also discussed in the paper.

Site web du Colloque international sur les monnaies sociales et complémentaires : CC-CONF 2011, février 16, 2011 – février 17, 2011.Organisé par les laboratoires LEFI et Triangle, Université de Lyon:

« Trente années de monnaies sociales et complémentaires – et après ? »

sur conferences.ish-lyon.cnrs.fr/index.php/cc-conf/2011/schedConf/presentations?searchInitial=B&track=