This work focuses on local (complementary) currencies. Their usage and appearance throughout history indicate counter-cyclicity with Great Depression and Argentine recession in 2002 as leading examples. Also previous research of Stodder (2009) proved counter-cyclicity in usage of Swiss complementary currency WIR. However, USA at the beginning of 90' and Germany after year 2000 experienced new wave of local currencies without being accompanied by any severe crisis. Have they become pro-cyclical? I tried to answer this question empirically with simple econometric model using macroeconomic indicators as explanatory variables. Results showed that number of new local currencies is in Germany pro-cyclical which supports previous works about regional distribution of currencies in Germany. Results from USA are inconclusive but indicate rather counter-cyclicity. In both countries was proved positive correlation with amount of already working currencies.

The thesis is focused on local currencies. In response to the current economic crisis, there is a renaissance of interest in the local currencies round the world. The local currency is seen as a useful tool for promoting economic growth. In this work, we concluded that their success is conditioned by several factors. The German local currency Chiemgauer was studied as it serves as an example for other local currencies. I described the Czech relevant discourse and proposed terminology. Further, I presented an overview of complementary currencies in the Czech Republic. The planned local currency of the town of Uvaly (which should be the first genuine local currency in the Czech Republic) was analyzed. Based on the calculated local multiplier I identified potential for a successful role of this forthcoming local currency.

Des innovations monétaires, donnant à la monnaie des formes et des caractéristiques nouvelles, sont aujourd’hui utilisées dans le but de favoriser le processus de développement économique. Au Kenya, elles se concrétisent dans les systèmes de monnaie mobile tels que le M-Pesa, ainsi que dans plusieurs monnaies locales mises en place sur le modèle du Bangla-Pesa. Ces monnaies ont des natures et des logiques divergentes, dont la thèse vise à en montrer les impacts et les implications. Pour cela, nous utilisons notamment des données issues de deux enquêtes de terrain.Les innovations monétaires interpellent les théories du développement, qui ont largement exclu la monnaie de leurs analyses, et qui la considèrent généralement comme étant neutre. L’étude de ces dispositifs nous permet de poser les bases d’une théorie monétaire du développement, en questionnant ce faisant le sens à donner au concept de développement, et les rôles que doivent jouer pour celui-ci la monnaie et la finance. / Monetary innovations, giving money new forms and characteristics, are now used to promote the process of economic development. In Kenya, they unfold in mobile money systems such as M-Pesa, as well as in several local currencies implemented on the model of the Bangla-Pesa. These monies have different natures and logics, and the thesis aims to show their impacts and implications. For this, we use data from two field surveys.Monetary innovations challenge development theories, which have largely excluded money from their analyzes, and which generally consider it to be neutral. The study of these schemes allow us to lay the foundations of a monetary theory of development. By doing so, we question the meaning of the concept of development, and the roles that money and finance have to play for it.