Episode 524
Is Paying Down Government Debt Bad for the Economy?
The Human Action Podcast · Mises Institute
November 2, 2025
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Show Notes
Is paying down the federal debt a recession trigger? Bob takes on the MMT claim and checks the record, citing US debt payoffs, Canada’s 1990s reforms, and ECB case studies. Conclusion: real wealth beats accounting tricks and paydowns aren’t a mechanical path to recession.
- Read More on Fiscal Austerity: Mises.org/HAP524a
- The Upside-Down World of MMT: Mises.org/HAP524b
- Do Balanced Budgets Cause Depressions?: Mises.org/HAP524c
The Mises Institute is giving away 100,000 copies of Hayek for the 21st Century. Get your free copy at Mises.org/HAPodFree
Topics
Booms and BustsValue and Exchange