The Role of Money for a Healthy
Economy
Felix Fuders
1 Key Messages
1. All but one of the SDGs are directly linked to our current financial system which—
being completely unnatural—can be seen as the most important but at the same
time least recognized reason for market failure.
2. Only if we change the unnatural design of our money to a more natural one as
proposed 100 years ago by Silvio Gesell, we will be able to create a healthier
economy and reach the goals.
3. Such a reform of our financial system will also reduce the possibility of the
occurrence of major financial crisis and, furthermore, could be an alternative
way to address the imminent economic crisis that threatens world economy as a
result of the COVID-19 quarantine measures.
2 Background: The World Is on a Collision Course
If we take a look at any newspaper in any country, two major problems frequently
are addressed: inequality and the increasing destruction of the natural environment,
that is unsustainability in the stricto sensu. In 2015, more than 190 world leaders
recognized that the world is on a “collision course” (Max-Neef 2010) and committed
to 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All but one goal are either linked to
the unsustainability of our current lifestyle (goals 9, 11–15) or to inequality (goals
1–8, 10, 16). Many conferences and high-level meetings have been held since then
F. Fuders (B)
Right Livelihood College—Campus Austral and Economic Policy Chapter of the
Transdisciplinary Research Center for Socio Ecological Strategies for Forest Conservation
(TESES), Universidad Austral de Chile, Economics Institute, Valdivia, Chile
e-mail: felix.fuders@uach.cl
© Zhejiang University Press 2021
F. W. Gatzweiler, Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme,
Urban Health and Wellbeing,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6036-5_4
17
Economy
Felix Fuders
1 Key Messages
1. All but one of the SDGs are directly linked to our current financial system which—
being completely unnatural—can be seen as the most important but at the same
time least recognized reason for market failure.
2. Only if we change the unnatural design of our money to a more natural one as
proposed 100 years ago by Silvio Gesell, we will be able to create a healthier
economy and reach the goals.
3. Such a reform of our financial system will also reduce the possibility of the
occurrence of major financial crisis and, furthermore, could be an alternative
way to address the imminent economic crisis that threatens world economy as a
result of the COVID-19 quarantine measures.
2 Background: The World Is on a Collision Course
If we take a look at any newspaper in any country, two major problems frequently
are addressed: inequality and the increasing destruction of the natural environment,
that is unsustainability in the stricto sensu. In 2015, more than 190 world leaders
recognized that the world is on a “collision course” (Max-Neef 2010) and committed
to 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All but one goal are either linked to
the unsustainability of our current lifestyle (goals 9, 11–15) or to inequality (goals
1–8, 10, 16). Many conferences and high-level meetings have been held since then
F. Fuders (B)
Right Livelihood College—Campus Austral and Economic Policy Chapter of the
Transdisciplinary Research Center for Socio Ecological Strategies for Forest Conservation
(TESES), Universidad Austral de Chile, Economics Institute, Valdivia, Chile
e-mail: felix.fuders@uach.cl
© Zhejiang University Press 2021
F. W. Gatzweiler, Urban Health and Wellbeing Programme,
Urban Health and Wellbeing,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-33-6036-5_4
17