No, not the same thing at all. This is just a way to keep wealth within small communities. And it's also a good reminder of what money is - simply a medium of exchange. Local currencies work if local businesses agree to accept them. Contrary to popular belief, you can't get your way out of an economic mess by printing crinkly pieces of paper - if so, poverty would have been ended years ago. Production - real goods and services that people want - is the foundation of economic prosperity.