Research

This research investigates how the debt-based monetary system is a factor that influences economic structure, resource use, and socio-political fragmentation. By analyzing Canada and Argentina—two countries with large resource bases and different debt regimes—the study reveals that debt growth consistently precedes increases in resource use and economic output. In Canada, rising private debt predicts fossil fuel extraction years in advance. In Argentina, government debt creates dramatic boom-bust cycles in agriculture and other resources.

The research also examines online political conversations to understand how these economic pressures show up in our daily lives—as anger at institutions, social divisions, and populist movements. The findings suggest that the political turbulence we're experiencing produces particular kinds of social patterns when debt-driven growth reaches limits. The study argues that major reforms like debt forgiveness or new monetary innovations are practical necessities for restoring both ecological balance and social stability.