LETS' be a community: Community in local exchange trading systems

Members of a Local Exchange System (LETS) exchange goods and services using their own currenc. The idea behind LETS is barter, but because of practical problems to this form of exchange, a money system is used. The money can only be used by members of the LETS. The first LETS was started in Canada in 1983 in a reaction to unemployment. LETS were expected to stimulate the local economy and help people to make ends meet. Many Dutch LETS were started in 1995 or later. During this time there were no economic problems that were serious enough to explain the rise of an alternative economic system like LETS. Yet, at the end of the centur there are about 90 LETS in the Netherlands located throughout the country. It is therefore likely that members start and join LETS for other only economic reasons. One frequently recurring discussion in our current societ are the negative consequences of the increasing individualisation and the so-called loss of community. However, if we only focus on the disappearance of old forms of community, we may overlook new was in which people get a sense of community. On the basis of data collected from 900 members of 33 LETS it is explanation is sought for differences between members in the extent to which they realise a sense of community.