New article on Eusko (France)

The Eusko’s trajectory. Hypotheses to understand the success of the complementary local currency of the Northern Basque Country

Dante Edme-Sanjurjo*, Mathilde Fois-Duclerc**, Yannick Lung***, Julien Milanesi**** and Fabienne Pinos*****

Euskal Moneta, Bayonne, France. eusko.dante@yahoo.fr

** Centre Emile Durkheim, UMR 5116 CNRS Sciences Po Bordeaux & MSHA, Bordeaux, France. mathilde.foisduclerc@gmail.com

*** GREThA, UMR 5113 CNRS Université de Bordeaux & Crisalidh, MSHA, Bordeaux, France. lung@u-bordeaux.fr

**** CERTOP, UMR 5044 CNRS Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France. julien.milanesi@iut-tlse3.fr

***** Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, Bayonne, France. fabienne.pinos@iutbayonne.univ-pau.fr

Abstract

Launched in January 2013, the Eusko (complementary local currency of the Northern Basque Country in France) became the first local currency in Europe five years later, with the equivalent of more than one million euros in circulation, surpassing the Chiemgauer in Germany and the Bristol Pound in England. This paper aims to explain the development of this complementary local currency and to formulate hypotheses about the factors for its success. Part 1 gives a statistical overview of the Eusko’s trajectory, analysing the distribution of this currency in its chronological and spatial dimensions. Part 2 focuses on the specificity of the territorial context, which is characterized by a high density of the associative and cooperative movements. Part 3 details the mobilizing organizational devices that contribute to the Eusko’s success.

Keywords

Basque country, complementary local currency, digitalization, Eusko, France.

Article Edme-Sanjurjo et al.

To cite this article: Edme-Sanjurjo, D., Fois-Duclerc, M., Lung, Y., Milanesi, J. and Pinos F. (2020) ‘The Eusko’s trajectory. Hypotheses to understand the success of the complementary local currency of the Northern Basque Country’ International Journal of Community Currency Research Volume 24 (Summer 2020) 14-29http://www.ijccr.net; ISSN 1325-9547; DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.15133/j.ijccr.2020.009