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Content: Stamp Scrip (by Irving Fisher, 1933)
 

II. STAMP SCRIP AND BARTER EXCHANGES

The general advantages of scrip are explained in the text. Here I consider its advantages for achieving the proposed country-wide hook-up of barter exchanges.
 

I. Getting Organized

Instead of the rather intricate job of organizing a complete set of systems within the country-wide system, the Exchange's work will concentrate on issuing Stamp Scrip,
 
 

and doing the necessary publicity work to get it accepted, which simply means betting it started. Once started, it will keep going without much further attention. Local and mutual exchanges will receive all literature and material for a "campaign" and will act as sub-agents in grant loans or making payments to its members in Stamp Scrip.
 

II. Getting Spread

Being redeemable in legal tender, the scrip will the more readily enlist outsiders not specifically enrolled in the exchange. It automatically enforces the steady and active cooperation of all, and particularly of the unemployed who receive it as relief. They must circulate it, and in many cases will do pioneer work to get it accepted. Thus, because the needs of the individuals are so varied, the scrip will spread over a great area, and this will automatically eliminate the necessity of setting up special rosters of trades and professions.
This self-perpetuating action of the dated type is quite different from that of ordinary scrip money which would tend to circulate only within smaller circles.
 
 
 
 

III. Getting Financed

Each store accepting and circulating Stamp Scrip would automatically become a contributing member of the "exchange". It would help to circulate the scrip and would contribute to the expense of the hook-up by affixing stamps. Financing and operating new manufacturing units is also done more quickly and more easily with Stamp Scrip, as its use provides for a market. All stores and jobbers accepting scrip will purchase their goods from the factories where they can use it for payments.
One of the main advantages is that the initial capital need, be only a very small sum and most of it does not even have to be paid out, but can remain in a bank on deposit against any premature redemption requests. And as payments for stamps come in, this initial capital might successively be paid back to the lenders who helped start the hook-up.
 
 
 

IV. Simpler Accounting

There will be no need for special accounting between "outsiders" and "insiders" of the exchange. Whoever uses Stamp Scrip becomes thereby an "insider." It also thus makes unnecessary the recording of member-needs and member services available. The balance among these will be established almost automatically, as in ordinary trade in normal times.
 
 
 

V. Middleman Not Restored

The benefits of using a "system within the system" in eliminating the profit taker are not lost. (Fair wages, material and cults of distribution will, of course, have to be paid for in any case.)
 
 
 

VI. More Like Modern Life

Barter is primitive. With scrip you feel less primitive, hence less reactionary, hence less discouraged. And that counts.