Wednesday 261020
Mostly summarized from Gregory Mankiw’s Principles of Economics, 5th Ed. PART 10 Money and Prices in the Long Run Chapter 30 of 36 Money Growth and Inflation Section 16 of 27 … One study found in U.S. newspapers inflation is the economic term most often mentioned, far ahead of second place unemployment and third productivity. Inflation is widely discussed because it is considered to be a serious economic problem. Is that true? And if so, why? The typical person will say the answer is obvious: Inflation reduces the purchasing power of his dollars, so when prices rise, each of his dollars buys fewer goods. So, it seems inflation directly lowers living standards. … But there is a fallacy in this answer. When prices rise buyers of goods pay more and at the same time sellers of goods get more. Because most people earn their incomes by selling their labor people also are sellers, and firms are buyers. Inflation of incomes goes together with inflation of prices of goods. So, inflation ...