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Why a Growing Economy Doesn’t Need a Growing Money Supply

EDITOR'S NOTES

A widely repeated assertion in modern economics is that a growing economy requires a growing money supply. This assumption has become doctrine in central banking and mainstream policy circles. But is it actually true? Or is it a clever justification for inflationary control by governments and central banks? This explainer scrutinizes that claim, based on a thought-provoking piece by economist Frank Shostak published by Mises Wire.

Explainer: Does Economic Growth Require More Money?

One of the most common arguments you'll hear from economists, central bankers, and politicians is that as an economy grows, so must the money supply. Without more money, they claim, growth stalls, prices fall, and hardship spreads. But this idea is based more on myth than fact.

Let’s cut through the noise.

1. What Is Money Really For?

Money isn’t fuel for growth. It’s a medium of exchange. It helps us trade what we produce. It doesn’t create wealth—production does. Growth comes from saving, investing, and increasing productivity—not from printing more currency.

2. Isn’t More Money Needed for a Bigger Economy?

No. In a true free market, the amount of money is always sufficient. As demand for money rises, its purchasing powerincreases. Prices adjust downward naturally. That’s not a crisis—that’s deflation, and it rewards savers.

The price of money (what you can buy with it) is just like the price of anything else. It’s driven by supply and demand. If the money supply stays the same while more goods are produced, prices fall. That’s not bad—that’s economic efficiency.

3. What Happens When We Inflate the Money Supply?

When central banks create more money “out of thin air,” it doesn’t create wealth—it redistributes it. The early receivers of new money benefit at the expense of everyone else. This process causes price distortions, misallocations, and ultimately leads to boom-bust cycles.

Even Milton Friedman's “just grow the money supply by 2% per year” rule doesn’t solve the problem. Any artificial increase in money leads to inflation and economic distortion. You still end up with something for nothing—a dangerous game.

4. What About the Gold Standard?

Historically, money emerged from the market—not government decree. People chose gold because of its durability and scarcity. Critics claim gold can't keep up with modern economies, but that's a red herring. The purchasing power of money adjusts, and there's no need for the quantity of money to grow with the economy.

In fact, gold’s “inflexibility” is its strength. It keeps governments and banks honest—something they’ve spent over a century trying to undo.

5. Why Do Central Banks Keep Creating More Money?

Because they have to. The current system of fractional reserve banking depends on constant injections of new money to prevent insolvency. If the central bank stopped inflating, the system would collapse under its own weight. The entire structure is a carefully managed Ponzi scheme.

Bottom Line for Inner Circle Readers:

The idea that a growing economy needs a growing money supply is a false narrative—one that conveniently empowers governments and weakens the individual. In a truly free market, any stable supply of money—even a fixed one—works just fine. The only people who benefit from constant money creation are those closest to the printing press: the banks, the bureaucrats, and the politically connected.

Don't buy into their myth. Understand the mechanics. Protect your wealth.

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Eric Blair, Dedollarize News