Before the financial fiat revolution, most buildings were built on wealth rather than debt. Why does this matter?

See thread below...

Photo: Poundbury, England

1. Money took time to acquire and save. As people saved their wealth, they had time to plan ahead. This planning and anticipation of building a home/business led to better design decisions.

Photo: @1000yearhouse

2. Often homes and buildings would take years or decades to complete. This meant the construction had to be durable. This also allowed the design to be improved throughout the construction process. As the owner acquired more wealth, quality could improve.

Photo: @Build_Culture

3. Rather than being mostly mortgaged, people were fully invested in their properties. They had more/all of their skin in the game. There was no room for cheap construction that would fail in 10-20 years. People built the best they could afford.

Photo: Design by Jeffrey Dungan

4. People put their wealth and soul into their properties. They weren't looking to sell and move in the next few years. They cared for their community both socially and physically. This led to good development and innovation on the community level.

Photo: Seabrook, WA

Other benefits of the pre-fiat financial system...

1. Learning delayed gratification
2. More wealth staying in the community.
3. No interest payments and other fees going to international corporations.
4. More stable construction/development cycle.
5. Beauty

With the right planning and enough desire, we can return to this kind of development today.

All of the photos shared above are from current (contemporary) builders and designers that use traditional styles and/or methods to build beautiful homes, buildings and neighborhoods.