As economic activity increases, we see an expansion, the first phase of the short-term debt cycle, spending continues to increase and prices start to rise. This happens because the increase in spending is fueled by credit, which can be created instantly out of thin air. When the amount of spending and incomes grow faster than the production of goods, prices rise.When prices rise, we call this inflation. The central bank doesn't want too much inflation because it causes problems. Seeing prices rise, it raise ...

Credit and Debt Dynamics - The US economy's total credit is approximately $50 trillion, significantly exceeding the total money supply of about $3 trillion [1] - Credit's impact is contingent on its use; it is detrimental when it fuels unsustainable overconsumption but beneficial when it efficiently allocates resources and generates income for debt repayment [3] - Borrowing facilitates increased spending, enabling incomes to temporarily outpace productivity, though this is unsustainable in the long term [2] Economic Cycles - Credit creation fosters self-reinforcing economic patterns, but borrowing inherently generates cycles, necessitating eventual corrections [5] - The economy demonstrates how credit amplifies spending and income, illustrated by examples of individuals leveraging credit cards to spend beyond their immediate earnings [4][5]