Abstract

The unsustainable trajectory of modern economic structures, especially the growth imperative, and the increasing disparity in income distribution, both widely acknowledged as barriers to sustainability, are fundamentally linked to the existing monetary system. However, the scope of this issue extends beyond sustainability alone, encompassing unemployment, inflation, and recurring financial crises, which are all intrinsically tied to the structural framework of current monetary mechanisms. This article contends that true sustainability can only be achieved by transitioning from an artificially structured monetary system to a more natural alternative, as advocated by Silvio Gesell. Implementing such a system is essential for approaching the theoretical construct of "perfect competition", which remains unattainable under existing financial paradigms, and for realizing what Max-Neef et al. (1991) describe as "development at human scale", a model that prioritizes the fulfillment of fundamental human needs.