Stuck in the Growth Game: Why Our Economy Needs to Keep Growing (or Else!)
90%
of money is created by banks out of thin air
90%
of which is used for speculation
90%
of the population does not know these facts...
Why Are We Always Pushing for More Growth?
Ever feel like “growth” is the only goal anyone talks about when it comes to the economy? Politicians want it, economists obsess over it, and it’s in the news 24/7. But have you ever stopped to wonder why we need constant growth? The truth is, our economy isn’t driven by need—it’s driven by debt. And our money system is set up so that if we don’t keep growing, things get pretty shaky, pretty fast.
What’s the Growth Imperative?
Put simply, the growth imperative means our economy must keep expanding to stay stable. But it’s not because we always need more stuff—it’s because of how money is created. The way banks create money means debt is baked into the system, which means we need more growth just to keep things steady.
Here’s the Weird Part:
- Debt-Fueled Money: Almost all money in circulation comes from bank loans. And since every loan has interest attached, there’s more debt than money to repay it. So, we need economic growth to create new money to pay off old debt.
- Debt Needs Growth, Growth Needs Debt: We’re in a cycle where debt demands growth, and growth demands even more debt. It’s a bit like running on a treadmill that keeps speeding up—you can’t stop, or you’ll fall flat.
Why Growth at All Costs Can’t Last Forever
An economy based on constant growth might sound like a good thing—more jobs, more money, right? But here’s the catch: when growth is fueled by debt, it creates pressure to expand at all costs. And sooner or later, that hits a wall.
The Problems with Growth-Obsessed Money Creation:
- Environmental Strain: Pushing for endless growth means using more resources and generating more waste. Our planet has limits, but the growth imperative doesn’t seem to care.
- Inequality Rises: The debt-driven growth model rewards those who have the most assets, while regular folks end up footing the bill.
- Economic Crashes: Over time, debt grows faster than the real economy. This is why we see bubbles, booms, and busts—because the system is always stretching itself to keep up.
Is There a Way Out? Sovereign Money as the Growth-Free Alternative
Imagine an economy that doesn’t need to grow endlessly just to stay balanced. That’s where Sovereign Money comes in. Sovereign Money is money created by a central public authority—debt-free and stable. No debt means no pressure to keep growing, which could help create a more balanced, sustainable economy.
Here’s How Sovereign Money Helps:
- Debt-Free Money Creation: With Sovereign Money, we can have money without debt, reducing the pressure for endless growth just to pay interest.
- Environmental Stability: A growth-free economy means we could focus on sustainability rather than consumption, working within our planet’s limits.
- A Fairer System: Instead of debt-fueled inequality, Sovereign Money could create a more level playing field where wealth doesn’t keep concentrating at the top.
In our view, this is the ultimate driver of the problem.
The question is, what will collapse first, society, the earth or the financial system?
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FAQs
Why does the economy need constant growth? Because almost all money is created as debt. To keep the system running smoothly, we need growth to generate new money to cover old debt—if growth stops, the debt remains, and the system gets shaky.
How would Sovereign Money help? With Sovereign Money, we could have money created debt-free by a public authority, so there’s no need for constant growth just to pay off interest. It’s a system that works for everyone, not just the banks.
Isn’t growth a good thing? Growth has benefits, but endless growth is unrealistic and puts pressure on both the economy and the environment. A debt-free money system would allow us to pursue healthy, sustainable growth instead of chasing growth at all costs.
Image: jerichow
