Who Invented the Idea of Debt?

Debt isn’t just money owed — it’s one of the oldest tools of social control. In this episode of American Socrates, we explore David Graeber’s Debt: The First 5,000 Years and traces the history of debt from ancient Mesopotamia to modern America. We unpack how debt has always carried moral weight, shaping who obeys, who suffers, and who is forgiven. From Biblical jubilees and Roman debt crises to student loans, credit cards, and mortgages today, we reveal how both political parties have structured a system that keeps working-class people in chains while protecting creditors.

Learn how debt disciplines our lives, fuels inequality, and limits freedom — and hear about movements like the Debt Collective and policy efforts led by Elizabeth Warren that fight for forgiveness and economic justice. This episode shows that understanding debt as a political, not personal, problem is the first step toward reclaiming your freedom.