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Inflation and distribution during the post-COVID recovery: a Kaleckian approach

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  • Mark Setterfield

Abstract

The early stages of recovery from the recession induced by the COVID-19 pandemic were accompanied by a marked increase in inflation in the US and elsewhere. Much has been made of this outcome, and the economic distress associated with it, in popular discussion of the economy. This paper provides a Kaleckian conflicting-claims analysis of inflation during the post-COVID recovery, that distinguishes between rising wages, pandemic-related supply shocks, and corporate price-setting behavior as sources of inflationary pressure. A key conclusion that arises from the co-determination of inflation and distributional outcomes in the Kaleckian framework is that distributional developments that have further disadvantaged working households, rather than inflation per se, are the chief source of recent economic distress – and should be the chief cause for concern among policy makers.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Setterfield, 2023. "Inflation and distribution during the post-COVID recovery: a Kaleckian approach," Journal of Post Keynesian Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(4), pages 587-611, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:mes:postke:v:46:y:2023:i:4:p:587-611
    DOI: 10.1080/01603477.2023.2249431
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    Cited by:

    1. Mark Setterfield, 2024. "Managing the Discontent of the Losers Redux: A Future of Authoritarian Neoliberalism or Social Capitalism?," FMM Working Paper 98-2024, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    2. Christian R. Proaño & Giorgos Galanis & Juan Carlos Peña, 2025. "On the macro-political dynamics of conflict inflation," Journal of Economic Interaction and Coordination, Springer;Society for Economic Science with Heterogeneous Interacting Agents, vol. 20(3), pages 725-745, July.
    3. Hein, Eckhard, 2025. "Kaleckian economics after Kalecki: A survey," IPE Working Papers 257/2025, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Institute for International Political Economy (IPE).
    4. Yilmaz, Mucahid Samet & Uzar, Umut, 2025. "Do cost increases push up profit mark-ups? Evidence from Türkiye on profit inflation," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 841-854.
    5. Montes Rojas Gabriel & Dvoskin Ariel & Feldman Germán, 2023. "Exchange-Rate Regime And Sectorial Profitability In A Small Open Economy: A Theoretical And Empirical Analysis Of Argentina (2016-2023)," Asociación Argentina de Economía Política: Working Papers 4673, Asociación Argentina de Economía Política.
    6. Wildauer, Rafael & Kohler, Karsten & Aboobaker, Adam & Guschanski, Alexander, 2023. "Energy price shocks, conflict inflation, and income distribution in a three-sector model," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PB).
    7. Ferreira, Vicente & Abreu, Alexandre & Louçã, Francisco, 2025. "The rise and fall of inflation in the Euro Area (2021-2024): A heterodox perspective," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 103-110.
    8. Weber, Isabella M. & Wasner, Evan & Lang, Markus & Braun, Benjamin & van ’t Klooster, Jens, 2025. "Implicit coordination in sellers’ inflation: How cost shocks facilitate price hikes," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 690-712.
    9. Mark Setterfield, 2025. "The COVID pandemic and its aftermath: missed opportunities for avoiding a future of Authoritarian Neoliberalism," Working Papers 2510, New School for Social Research, Department of Economics.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E02 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Institutions and the Macroeconomy
    • E11 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Marxian; Sraffian; Kaleckian
    • E12 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Keynes; Keynesian; Post-Keynesian; Modern Monetary Theory
    • E25 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Aggregate Factor Income Distribution
    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • E64 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Incomes Policy; Price Policy

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