97% Owned

97% Owned is a compelling documentary film released in 2012 that presents an intriguing examination of the perplexing subject of money, and namely, who creates it. This thought-provoking film is directed by Michael Oswald and features Ben Dyson, founder of Positive Money, a significant non-profit organization in the UK. He explores the sobering notion that 97% of our global money supply is essentially created and controlled by commercial and private banks, thereby laying bare the intricate inner workings of an economy heavily dependent on credit.

In addition to Dyson, the documentary also brings in the trusted perspectives of Anne Belsey, founder of the UK's Monetary Reform Party, and academic authority Noel Longhurst. Belsey gives valuable insights into how the money supply can be democratically managed while Longhurst offers an academic's perspective on the scale and implications of this problem by unraveling the complexities of our modern-day economic systems.

The film's title comes from the astonishing fact that only 3% of the UK's money supply is actually paper cash or coins, with the remaining 97% existing as electronic digits in commercial banks. Oswald lays bare the implications of this shocking truth and raises a crucial question about the broader impacts of this on society, economy, and democracy.

Moreover, the documentary does a commendable job at analyzing and explaining the effects of economies based on debt where private, profit-oriented organizations control the creation of money. The film also explores the underlying reality of how these "debt-based economies" may influence our social, political, and environmental decisions.

The film takes a deep dive into some of the critical questions surrounding the origins of money, the process of its creation, its circulation in the market, and its impact on our lives. Oswald doesn't hold back on discussing the darker side of capitalism, namely the economic servitude created by the modern banking system.

The documentary begins by explaining the fundamentals of this monetary creation process and proceeds to unravel the consequent implications on the worldwide environment, housing, democracy, and inequality. It delivers its punch through the various perspectives of international thinkers and economists, providing easy-to-understand real-world examples to make the monetary system accessible to the common viewer.

97% Owned masterfully intersperses naturalistic footage with interviews of monetary reform activists, bankers, economists, sociologists, and members of the public. Using the artistry of well-sourced infographics and interactive media, it demystifies complex economic theories and presents them in a way that's digestible for mass audiences.

The documentary is an eye-opener and easily breaks the barriers of misperception that surround the convoluted subject matter. It offers a reasonable argument on the urgent need for not just banking reforms but reforms in the way our entire economic system operates. Enthused with the spark of global change, performances by Dyson, Belsey, and Longhurst further maintain the film's force, making a subject as gee-whiz as monetary system analysis appear fascinating.

97% Owned doesn't shy away from any onerous theories and explores the world's finance structures with striking detail. It undoubtedly celebrates Oswald's knack for transforming the convoluted world of finance into a riveting narrative that calls for real, wide-ranging reform.

It is more than a film. It's a call to action which suggests that due to the current economic structure and banking system, most countries are slaves to an impossible debt situation. In the end, while the cinematic tour de force suggests a change from the current system, it also provokes viewers to question the very foundation of the economic structure we abide by.

In a nutshell, 97% Owned is much more than a documentary about money creation. It's an enlightening exploration of the fundamental pillars of our economies and societies, giving viewers an inside look into the reality behind the scenes of global economic structures.