Sarah Jacobson 
Inflation is the increase in the general price level of goods and services over time. This can occur as a result of an expansionary monetary policy, or by lessening the value of money through supply reduction (a decrease in production). Inflation rates are generally expressed with respect to a specific measure such as the consumer price index, but this isn’t always true. So what’s inflation?
Inflation is the rise in prices due to a general increase in demand. Inflation is caused by many factors, but one of the main causes is how much money there is. If there are too many dollars, then it’s harder for people to buy things because there are so many dollars around.
Joe Raedle/Getty On December 14, 2021, shoppers visit the Brickell City Centre mall in Miami, Florida.
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics statistics released on Dec. 10, 2021, consumer prices increased 6.8% year over year in November 2021, the highest rate of growth since 1982. During the month, the largest increases were in electricity, used automobiles, and apparel. The Conversation US invited William Hauk, an economist at the University of South Carolina, to explain what’s causing the current rise in inflation and how it impacts consumers, businesses, and the economy.
1. What Causes Inflation to Be So High?
Inflation has been growing for two main reasons: supply and demand.
Starting with the latter, after spending the most of 2020 at home binge-watching Netflix, customers are on a shopping frenzy. Many people are returning to the businesses now that they have been vaccinated, and they are demanding more products and services.
The stimulus cheques and other pandemic-related assistance that were sent to American families during the outbreak have helped to boost family purchasing power. The increased spending as a consequence has been beneficial to the economy, but greater demand usually means higher costs.
Increased demand may not be bad for inflation on its own, but the COVID-19 epidemic is causing substantial supply chain issues in the United States. This raises the cost of manufacturing while simultaneously lowering the supply of commodities, resulting in higher pricing.
Furthermore, earnings are increasing – up 4.8 percent from a year ago in November – as firms in a variety of sectors give more money to keep or attract workers. Although this is good news for employees, corporations often have to pass on greater expenses to customers.
2. Is Inflation Always a Negative Thing?
Inflation isn’t necessarily a negative thing. A small amount is actually beneficial to the economy.
Companies may be unwilling to invest in new facilities and equipment if prices are decreasing, which is known as deflation, and unemployment may grow. Inflation may also make debt repayment simpler for certain people with increasing income.
Inflation of 5% or more, on the other hand, hasn’t been observed in the United States since the early 1980s. Higher-than-normal inflation, according to economists like me, is bad for the economy for a variety of reasons.
Higher costs on vital products such as food and fuel may become expensive for individuals whose wages aren’t growing as quickly. Even when their earnings rise, increased inflation makes it difficult for customers to distinguish if a given item is becoming more costly compared to other items or just increasing in accordance with the overall price increase. This might make it more difficult for individuals to budget properly.
What applies to homes also applies to businesses. The cost of critical inputs, such as oil or microchips, is increasing for businesses. They may want to pass on these expenses to customers, but their capacity to do so may be constrained. As a consequence, they may have to reduce output, which may exacerbate supply chain issues.
3. What Are the Most Serious Threats?
If inflation continues to rise over an extended period of time, economists refer to this as hyperinflation. Expectations that prices will continue to rise drive additional inflation, lowering the actual worth of each dollar in your wallet. Spiraling prices may lead to a currency’s value collapsing in the most severe instances — imagine Zimbabwe in the late 2000s. People will want to spend whatever money they have as quickly as possible because they are afraid that prices would increase even over short periods of time.
The United States is far from this predicament, but central banks like the Federal Reserve want to prevent it at all costs, so they usually intervene to attempt to bring inflation under control before it spirals out of control.
The difficulty is that the primary means by which it does this is by rising interest rates, which slows the economy. If the Fed is compelled to raise interest rates too rapidly, it might trigger a recession and increase unemployment, as happened in the United States in the early 1980s, when inflation was at its peak. Then-Fed head Paul Volcker was successful in bringing inflation down from a peak of over 14% in 1980, but at the expense of double-digit unemployment rates.
Americans aren’t experiencing inflation anywhere near that level yet, but Jerome Powell, the Fed’s current chairman, is almost likely thinking about how to keep the country from going there.
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William Hauk, University of South Carolina Associate Professor of Economics
The Conversation has given permission to reprint this article under a Creative Commons license. Read the whole story here.
Watch This Video-
The “what is the current inflation rate 2021” is a question that has been asked many times. This article will answer three questions about why inflation is so high.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is a high level of inflation?
A: It is because there are too many people in the economy. This occurs when companies are able to hire more employees and increase production without a rise in prices for their products.
What are three problems caused by inflation?
A: Taxes, prices and wages.
What is the problem with high inflation?
A: The problem with high inflation is that it can make life hard for the poor and middle class as they struggle to earn enough money to buy food and other necessities. Inflation also prevents people from saving, which can lead them into debt or cause others to suffer unnecessarily when they have no savings of their own.
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