Social Credit

Social Credit is a political and economic doctrine that emerged in the early 20th century, primarily associated with British economist Clifford Douglas. The core idea is that the capitalist system often fails to distribute enough income to consumers to sustain economic activity. To address this, Social Credit proposes issuing additional money to consumers and providing subsidies to producers. This aims to boost consumption and production without fundamentally altering private enterprise or profit motives.12

The movement gained traction in the 1930s, notably in Canada, where it led to the formation of the Social Credit Party in Alberta, which governed the province for decades. While the party's adherence to Douglas's original theories waned over time, the concept of Social Credit highlights a critique of income distribution within capitalist economies.2