Relationship Debt and GDP Growth

This chart is from a paper in the American Economic Review from 2010 by Reinhart and Rogoff. The study followed countries over a 200 year period and looked at the relationship between debt and GDP growth. Seems pretty clear that more debt does lower GDP growth.

Real World GDP Since 1969-2010

Looks like world GDP has continued to grow since 1969 in real terms. Despite what people say it looks like the whole world is adding $50 trillion of value every year.