The Waterworks of Money

Anyone unfamiliar with the complex language of economists and bankers is effectively excluded from the public debate about our monetary system. This exclusion makes it harder to address issues such as growing inequality and recurring financial crises. The Waterworks of Money opens up the world of finance through metaphors and architectural illustrations.

The New Finance research group at The Hague University of Applied Sciences explores how our financial system really works—and who it works for. Together with cartographer Carlijn Kingma and journalist Thomas Bollen, professor Martijn van der Linden sheds light on the often complex and hidden mechanisms behind money creation and distribution. Through a detailed cartographic artwork and fact-based storytelling, they reveal how money flows through society, where it gets held up, and how this contributes to social and economic inequality.

Background

If you compare money to water, our monetary system is the irrigation network that fuels the economy. Just as irrigation helps crops grow, money helps the economy thrive. As long as money flows, society is expected to flourish. At least, that’s the idea. In reality, vast parts of society remain parched while a small group swims in wealth. Today, just a handful of billionaires hold more wealth than half of the global population combined.

Who creates and distributes our money? Where does it all go? And why doesn’t the financial system work for everyone? These are the central questions behind The Waterworks of Money. Because the financial system is not a force of nature, it’s the result of political choices. This project visualizes how the system functions and presents opportunities for reform.

Objective

The aim of The Waterworks of Money is to make the financial system understandable to a wide audience. Using metaphors, illustrations, and stories, the project explains how money flows, who controls it, and how that leads to inequality. It also explores alternative models and reveals the political choices that shape the current system. 

Research

Since early 2021, the team has collaborated on the creation of The Waterworks of Money. Over the course of fourteen months, they read dozens of books and articles and interviewed more than 100 experts—from central bankers and pension fund directors to politicians and monetary reformers. They created hundreds of sketches, which were reviewed by stakeholders and institutions across the financial system.

Next came the drawing of the waterworks itself. This detailed work took over 2,200 hours and nearly five months to complete. During this time, the team also developed the scripts for the video animations In autumn 2022, they began working with global experts and grassroots movements to develop three possible scenarios for the future. 

The maps, animations, and narratives have been showcased at leading art institutions such as Rijksmuseum Twenthe, Kunstmuseum Den Haag, and the Venice Biennale; at major festivals including Lowlands and Springtij; and within financial institutions such as Rabobank, Triodos, Deloitte, and the Dutch Ministry of Finance.

Want to know more?

Learn more about the project on the website of investigative journalism platform Follow the Money