There are three kinds of inflation: Currency inflation, Demand inflation and Asset inflation.
Currrency inflation
Currency inflation can take place in primarily two ways. First, the currency declines in value, and this attracts foreign capital to rush in for bargains. I did that myself when the British pound fell to $1.03 in 1985. It was like the country on sale at Harrods.
Secondly, let’s say you have a building in it, and I buy it for $10 million. The money supply is not altered. However, let’s say I’m British and I buy your building in the United States. I have to bring British pounds, convert them into dollars, and then pay you your $10 million. I have just increased the domestic money supply and assets, and the central bank had no impact.
Demand inflation
[. . .] higher interest rates sometimes attract capital, as was the case when Volcker raised interest rates to insane levels in 1981, which sent the dollar soaring to a record high in 1985.
Asset inflation
Then you have raw shortages or oversupply. The purchasing value of gold dropped significantly thanks to the 1849 California Gold Rush. During inflation, assets rise in value, and money declines. That took place during the 19th century when a gold coin was money. MONEY has NEVER been of a constant value – NEVER! These people yelling fiat simply do not comprehend that for thousands of years, there has always been a business cycle, and that means money rises and falls in purchasing power, REGARDLESS of whatever it has been.
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