Inflation

GDP is a ridiculous way to gauge the strength of the economy. While prices on Wall Street remain robust, trouble lurks on Main Street.

Thorsten Polleit (TP): On November 5, 2024, Donald J. Trump was elected the new US president with a landslide victory.

Mainstream economists are united against deflation, which they claim is the cause of recessions. Austrians know better, as they understand that deflation raises living standards and prevents destructive asset bubbles.

The Federal Reserve says it can manipulate the money supply to ensure “price stability.” This worsens the boom-bust cycles and undermines the economy.

The Federal Reserve continues to be the not-so-silent partner to the government's reckless deficit spending scheme. While the Fed tries to force down interest, US bond yields are rising, as the markets recognize these bifurcated policies.

Government paper fiat money does more than just cause economic havoc. It also is an exercise in profound dishonesty and theft.

Argentina President Javier Milei is proposing a new law that would “declare it an imprescriptible crime for the state and the central bank to monetize the public deficit and create inflation.” While it may be politically rejected, it does point to the real dangers of inflation.

Perhaps John Maynard Keynes' best con job was convincing people that a growing economy needs inflation, lots of inflation. As David Gordon points out, however, Ludwig von Mises eloquently explained why inflation undermines the free market economy.

We have reached this point: the government keepers of money do not even understand what money is or why inflation is harmful. To them, the real threat to the economy is “deflation.”

The child-like obsession with buying stuff that American society is often criticized for around Christmas is a sought-after result of our government’s monetary policy.