Erstellt am: 14. 10. 2011 - 14:24 Uhr

End the financial crisis - get rid of money!

Reality Check: A controversial vision of an alternative economic system, Fukushima worries, food and human rights, Berlsuconi confidence vote

Yesterday, we heard about European Commission President, Jose Manuel Barroso's plan to save the Euro. Today, Professor Franz Hörmann from the Vienna University of Economics and author of the book "Das Ende des Gelds" talks about a far more radical plan. He says that to make the world economy sustainable for the decades and centruries ahead, we need to ditch the idea of banks that loan money in return for interest. He says the principle of interest creates money that effectively doesn't exist, and therefore puts the system out of balance. In fact, he says, we don't just need to ditch banks, we need to ditch money as well.

His vision is of an economy based on everyone making the goods and services they can offer freely available to everyone else. No money is paid or good exchanged, and everyone has access to the things they need.

He told Riem Higazi about his controversial ideas.

Japan's radio active hangover

10 months after the earthquake that caused the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear plant, patches of high levels of radiation are being found as far away as Tokyo. It's unclear whether these spots are connected to the Fukushima accident, but Japanese people are deeply concerned, despite assurances from the government that there is no threat to public health.

Pregnant women are particularly worried, and there is general concern that food has also been affected.

Chris Cummins spoke to our Tokyo correspondent, Jonathan Watts, who has just returned from the affected areas.

Food and human rights

Ahead of World Food Day on Sunday, Joanna Bostock looks at the co-dependency of food and human rights with Professor Anne Bellows from the University of Hohenheim. Professor Bellows says the priorities set in providing food aid are often flawed and actually hinder long term solutions.

also on today's programme:

Berlusconi confidence vote

Our Rome correspondent, Josephine McKenna, previews this afternoon's confidence vote in the Italian parliament.

FM4 Reality Check

Monday to Friday from 12 to 14, and after the show via Podcast or fm4.orf.at/realitycheck.