Making sense of a crank case: monetary diversity in Argentina (1999–2003)
基于实证数据，研究阿根廷在1999-2003年危机期间引入的省级和社区两种补充货币，分析其作为记账单位和支付手段的流通机制，并探讨多种货币理论如何解释日常货币实践的多样性。
Based on empirical data, this study discusses the introduction, acceptance and circulation of two complementary currencies in Argentina that do not fit well in the main approaches to the nature of money. These two monetary circuits, provincial and community currencies, were introduced as units of account to denominate the value of debt and circulated as means of payment to overcome monetary stringency during the crisis of 1999–2003. After discussing several theories on the nature of money, we reflect on the institutional significance of currency circuits as concurrent and rather stable pairs of trade and money. We suggest that several theories of money need to be combined to account for the variety and heterogeneity of daily monetary practices in a broad spectrum of countries.