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To: appeal2
During those prior times, when we returned to the gold standard, an amazing thing happened, no inflation and a return to the prior price level.

An amazing thing, massive deflation.

Because as can be seen, inflation will only go so far, then it will be followed by deflationary depressions, 1873, 1893, 1934.

Do you think deflationary depressions are a good thing or a bad thing?

87 posted on 08/05/2009 12:49:23 PM PDT by Toddsterpatriot (Math is hard. Harder if you're stupid.)
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To: Toddsterpatriot

As long as the government can print fiat money, they are inevitable. Deflations do have some salutary effects. The monetary unit goes up in value, which encourages savings, increased work and providence and thrift. Since wages will not decrease as quickly as prices in a non-manipulated labor market, the purchasing power and savings of those working increases, thereby increasing their standard of living. Since increasing purchasing power will also mean that debts actually go up in value, reckless borrowing will be curtailed.

The negatives are that collateral for loans in nominal terms will decrease. Also, the increasing value of debts will cause certain debtors to default and go bankrupt.

Contrast these negatives with inflation as dictated by the Fed. Real wages go down since wages don’t rise as fast as prices. The real rate of savings sinks since the inflation adjusted return often becomes negative. Reckless borrowing is encouraged as debtors will be able to pay back their loans in depreciated dollars. The trade value of the currency will go down until it collapses.

Finally, the inflationary depression will become a deflationary depression, as banks will not loan money because as it loses value there is little demand for it. Eventually interest rates will skyrocket and the there will be great monetary destruction thereby increasing the value of the currency. Unless the monetary creation increases to try to counteract these forces. Then you wind up with the Weimar Republic or Zimbawe.

Choose your poison, I would rather has deflation than inflation, which is the debasement of the currency and the destruction of society.


96 posted on 08/05/2009 3:20:24 PM PDT by appeal2 (Government is not the solution, it is the problem and eventually the enemy.)
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