Funding the Future

The Finance Curse: Housing, Banks and Crisis.

Nov 25, 2025
In this discussion, John Christensen, co-founder of the Tax Justice Network and a former economist for Jersey, highlights the 'finance curse' and its impact on housing inflation. He reveals how rising house prices have locked out younger generations from economic security. The consequences of government policy on the crisis are examined, along with the vulnerability of 'zombie banks' to asset price declines. Christensen advocates for reforms like mass social housebuilding and capital controls, urging a clear choice: reform or societal rupture.
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ANECDOTE

Jersey As An Early Warning

  • John Christensen describes working in Jersey tracking price and house indices during an inflationary surge in the 1980s and 1990s.
  • He says finance displaced tourism and manufacturing as costs rose, illustrating the 'finance curse'.
INSIGHT

Generational Shift In Housing Affordability

  • House prices rose 144x in nominal terms from 1956 to 2025 while mortgage multiples rose from ~3x to ~6.6x earnings.
  • This structural change forced dual-earner households and trapped choices around work and housing.
INSIGHT

Mortgages Reshape Life Choices

  • Banks created money through mortgage lending, inflating property values and forcing households into long-term debt.
  • Richard Murphy warns mortgages now bind life choices and retirement prospects for many.
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