Debt as the anatomy of obligation and the foundation of civilization

This article provides an in-depth analysis of debt, viewed not only as a financial instrument but, above all, as the foundation of civilization and a moral obligation. The author defines debt as "objectified time," in which the present takes the future hostage. The text leads the reader through the intricacies of religious prohibitions on usury, the Islamic concept of mudaraba, and the biblical year of jubilee, all the way to the contemporary economic theories of Hyman Minsky. Leszek Kołakowski's reflections serve as a starting point for a discussion on the ethics of credit and the mechanisms of the reset. The entire work demonstrates how global financialization and public debt impact the psychology of modern humanity and the stability of social systems, emphasizing the need for equitable risk distribution in the process of wealth accumulation.