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Deflating the case for zero inflation

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  • S. Rao Aiyagari

Abstract

This paper analyzes the U.S. congressional proposal to instruct the Federal Reserve to, in the next five years, lower inflation to zero from its current rate of around 5 percent. The paper concludes that, when other policy options are considered, the zero inflation policy is not advisable. Its benefits would be very small--possibly negative--while its costs would probably be significant. Other, more direct policy options could produce most of the same benefits with fewer costs. Among these alternative policies are deregulating interest rates on demand deposits, paying interest on financial institution reserves, lowering the federal tax rate on capital income, and indexing the federal tax code to inflation. ; Reprinted in Quarterly Review, v. 21, no. 3, Summer 1997.

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  • S. Rao Aiyagari, 1990. "Deflating the case for zero inflation," Quarterly Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, vol. 14(Sum), pages 2-11.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedmqr:y:1990:i:sum:p:2-11:n:v.14no.3
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniel L. Thornton, 1996. "The costs and benefits of price stability: an assessment of Howitt's rule," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, vol. 78(Mar), pages 23-38.
    2. Vinayagathasan, Thanabalasingam, 2013. "Inflation and economic growth: A dynamic panel threshold analysis for Asian economies," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 26(C), pages 31-41.
    3. W. Lee Hoskins, 1991. "Defending zero inflation: all for naught," Quarterly Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, vol. 15(Spr), pages 16-20.
    4. Samantha Johnson, 1993. "The costs of inflation revisited," Reserve Bank of New Zealand Bulletin, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, vol. 56, March.
    5. Brian O'Reilly, 1998. "The Benefits of Low Inflation: Taking Shock "A nickel ain't worth a dime any more" [Yogi Berra]," Technical Reports 83, Bank of Canada.
    6. Ireland, Peter N., 1995. "Optimal disinflationary paths," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 19(8), pages 1429-1448, November.
    7. S. Rao Aiyagari, 1991. "Response to a defense of zero inflation," Quarterly Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, vol. 15(Spr), pages 21-24.
    8. Irasema Alonso, 1991. "Patterns of exchange, fiat money and the welfare costs of inflation," Economics Working Papers 63, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, revised Sep 1993.
    9. Mark A. Wynne, 2008. "Core inflation: a review of some conceptual issues," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, vol. 90(May), pages 205-228.
    10. CHARLES T. Carlstrom & WILLIAM T. Gavin, 1993. "Zero Inflation: Transition Costs And Shoe Leather Benefits," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 11(1), pages 9-17, January.
    11. Mark A. Wynne, 2008. "Core inflation: a review of some conceptual issues," Review, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, issue May, pages 205-228.
    12. Nicholas Apergis & Stephen M. Miller & Alexandros Panethimitakis & Athanassios Vamvakidis, 2005. "Inflation Targeting and Output Growth: Evidence from Aggregate European Data," Working papers 2005-06, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    13. W. Lee Hoskins & Mark S. Sniderman, 1992. "Price Stability: The Policy and Research Perspectives," Eastern Economic Journal, Eastern Economic Association, vol. 18(1), pages 55-63, Winter.

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    Inflation (Finance);

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