What is the Community Exchange?
The Community Exchange System (CES) is a community-based, global trading network using methods of exchange that differ from our familiar national currencies — an alternative, parallel, local, community or complementary currency system. In short, the CES is a new exchange system.

Are there similar systems?
There are many similar trading systems around the world, commonly known as Community Exchanges, Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS), Mutual Credit trading systems or Time Banks. Many commercial ‘barter’ systems operate in a similar way, but their prime motive is make money of the conventional kind whereas most complementary currency systems are attempts to do without or replace national currencies similar the World Treasury CES, World Central Bank CES, and the World Credit Union CES as the Global Credit Facility (NMNI).

What is the difference between CES and Conventional systems?
The main difference between these and conventional money systems is that their scope of operation is usually restricted to a geographical area or organization. ‘Money’ in the above types of complementary currencies does not ‘exist’ like conventional money so there is no need for a supply of it and you don’t need any to start trading. ‘Money’ in these systems is a retrospective ‘score-keeping’ that keeps a record of who did what for whom and who provided what to whom. There can therefore never be a shortage of money and money does not have to be created by a third party (banks or government) outside the circuit of buyers and sellers. For this reason, commodity money and credit are free and capitalizable assets, for the buyers and sellers to ‘create’ at the moment of trade.

Can I only trade with members of my own exchange group?
The CES is an international trading network with exchanges in many countries. Credits earned in one exchange can be spent in another, or if you are visiting another area you can trade with local CES traders. New exchanges are starting in new areas all the time, and existing ones are growing steadily.

Is this just a tax dodge?
Definitely not! Our motives are noble. We want to create a more equal society where wealth is distributed according to the contribution, not according to your ability to ‘make money’. In other countries where these systems have become big, the state has either ignored the tax angle because it saves state expenditure on welfare payments, or there is an agreement to provide services to the state. Our approach is that when the CES becomes big, the state should become a user of the CES and participate in the normal way. In this way, the state could credit itself through the services it provides to all members and debit itself by purchasing the services of CES users.

Is this a form of Barter?

No! Barter almost always involves bargaining between two individuals to establish the relative worth of the goods or services they wish to exchange. There is no bargaining with a community currency. When you purchase something, you are in no way obliged to the seller; you ‘pay’ for what you have received by delivering/selling something at a later time to another trader in the community. Community currencies are as versatile as conventional ones.