MMT, Government Deficits, and Douglas Social Credit
While there are significant differences between Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) and Douglas Social Credit, Professor Kelton’s talk allows us to turn our attention, for a change, on some of the points of commonality.
Silvio Gesell believed that the two great economic evils were stagnation and inequality. He attributed stagnation to hoarding (the “retention” of money that slows circulation) and inequality to both hoarding and the payment of interest on money. His remedies were therefore twofold: demurrage (a carrying charge that makes money lose value if held, forcing it into rapid circulation) and interest-free credit. From a Douglas Social Credit standpoint, Gesell’s take on monetary reform rests on a fundamentally flawed diagnosis and thus the remedies he proscribes are inadequate, in addition to being coercive and counterproductive.
Social Credit stands alone in its pursuit of the Economics of Grace. It recognizes that the "price" of our life has been paid by the gifts of God and the genius of our ancestors. By replacing the bondage of the gold standard and the indignity of the Job Guarantee with the National Dividend and the Price Discount, we move from an "Economics of Toil" to an Economics of Leisure.
In the context of Douglas’ economic views, this press release addresses U.S. President Donald J. Trump announcing that he wants to tap into tariff revenue and issue a dividend check to low-income and middle-income American citizens.
Written on Wednesday, 10 December 2025 10:39
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