Background
Hyperinflation refers to an extremely rapid or out-of-control inflation wherein the price increases exceed 50 percent per month. It is characterized by a quick and steep decline in the real purchasing power of money.
Historical Context
Hyperinflation typically arises in periods of severe economic instability often related to war, political upheaval, or collapse of a monetary system. Notable instances include Germany in the 1920s, Zimbabwe in the late 2000s, and the recent Venezuelan crisis.
Definitions and Concepts
Hyperinflation is typically marked by absurdly high levels of inflation, whereby prices soar daily or even hourly. The dysfunction results in the rapid weakening of a currency whereby it becomes nearly worthless both as a store of value and a medium of exchange.
Major Analytical Frameworks
Classical Economics
Classical economists focus on the uncontrolled increase in the money supply by a government as the primary cause of hyperinflation, adhering to the Quantity Theory of Money.
Neoclassical Economics
Neoclassical thought attributes hyperinflation to a discrepancy between rapid money supply growth and slower growth in real GDP, often viewing it as a self-fulfilling prophecy where expectations and adaptive anticipations of inflation severely devalue the currency.
Keynesian Economics
Keynesians assert that hyperinflation stems from demand-pull inflation where heightened aggregate demand within the economy surpasses productive capacity, usually driven by ‘printing money’ to cover deficits.
Marxian Economics
Marxian perspectives might analyze hyperinflation as a systemic failure of capitalism, exacerbated by social and political inequalities and the inherent crises of over-production and under-consumption.
Institutional Economics
An institutional economic analysis would look at hyperinflation through the lenses of governance, policy failures, and structural economic shortcomings.
Behavioral Economics
From a behavioral standpoint, hyperinflation could be driven by mass panic, herd behavior and irrational decision-making fueled by the eroding trust in the economic and monetary systems.
Post-Keynesian Economics
Post-Keyesians might view hyperinflation as an endogenous outcome of speculative bubbles and financial instability, emphasizing the role of distribution, credit systems, and the banking sector.
Austrian Economics
Austrians emphasize that excessive broad money supply growth erodes the currency’s value, pointing fingers at the central banking practices of inflationary finance and non-market rate interest policies.
Development Economics
In development economics, hyperinflation is often seen in the context of underdeveloped financial institutions, weak governance, and policy mismanagement in emerging market economies.
Monetarism
Monetarists identify rampant growth in money supply without corresponding economic output growth as the root cause, aligning with the Quantity Theory of Money dogma.
Comparative Analysis
Hyperinflation serves as a crucial study in comparative analysis across various theoretical frameworks whereby its causes, effects, and fixes evoke sharply different ideologies and policy implementations.
Case Studies
- Germany (Weimar Republic, early 1920s)
- Zimbabwe (2000s)
- Venezuela (2010s onwards)
These case studies reveal differing pathways to hyperinflation and the challenges in overcoming it.
Suggested Books for Further Studies
- “When Money Dies” by Adam Fergusson
- “The Great Inflation and Its Aftermath” by Robert J. Samuelson
- “Inflation and Stabilization” by Michael Bruno and Jeffrey Sachs
Related Terms with Definitions
- Inflation: The rate at which the general level of prices for goods and services is rising, and subsequently, eroding purchasing power.
- Medium of Exchange: A function of money to facilitate the sale, purchase, or trade of goods between parties.
- Store of Value: An function of money that allows its value to be saved or retrieved in the future with some predictability.
- Quantity Theory of Money: A theory asserting that general price levels are directly proportional to the amount of money in circulation.
- Price Stability: A scenario where prices in an economy do not change much over time, avoiding extreme inflation or deflation.
