F.e. the current Dutch penal code was accept in 1881. Thats 144 years ago.

Part of the issue is that we are mostly stuck in an economic structure that cannot continue forever unless everybody partakes. Getting more wages every year, getting more revenue and profit every year, just doesn't work for eternity. In theory, if everybody got their 2%$ wage increases and interest was just 2% a year (excluding promotions or corrections for pas years etc) it would be fine.

The circular economy theory is one of those theories that attempts to fix that AND also work on helping the repair, reuse, recycle movement.