So could it be Capitalism?

Linear growth is a failure; only infinite, exponential growth is acceptable.

Yes, yes it is.

Or rather, every economist reads the first 20 pages of Smith's Wealth Of Nations, and basically skips everything afterwards.

Like... This gem: "People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices."