Talk:Inflation tax

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Just copied stuff from Hyperinflation, please feel free to expand (perhaps with direct printing of money for gov'mt use?)

Just done that. Examples would be nice. Argentina looks like a prime candidate... --Pablo D. Flores 15:37, 13 Jun 2005 (UTC)

The definition was wrong. It was a definition of 'inflation' rather than 'inflation tax'. There is a difference.

[edit] Reverted edits by 67.121.189.182

The definition I gave may have been incorrectly phrased, or restrictive, but it was not incorrect. The one you gave was not clear at all. Note also that the original article (not by me) was text copied from another article, Hyperinflation, which is quite well researched and extensive.

References:

• An article about optimal inflation: [1]
• A short definition (somewhat different, but probably less inclusive): [2]
• A study guide with an overview of inflation (restrictive - defines inflation tax as the government revenue produced by creating money): [3]

Inflation tax cannot be confused with inflation according to the original definition. It's a more-or-less intended result of inflation. I think the article is clear enough. --Pablo D. Flores 02:00, 23 Jun 2005 (UTC)

I'll merge your opinion of what it means with my opinion, even though I think you are wrong. We can have both definitions.

1. You need to look "inflation tax" up in an economics textbook. You are defining inflation. Nowhere in your definition do you explain why or how it is a tax on the individuals. Please move your definition to the inflation page.
2. Also, your definition is confusing. What does improve position mean? Position usually refers to physical location. Maybe an example is in order of how this is a tax in your definition.
3. Note "Humble fool" does not get it in his comments about this page.

I'm no economist and I have no economy textbooks at my disposition. I only interpreted the idea as I could. But I do understand the basics of economics, and from what I gather, the definition of "inflation tax" is not as simple. This is how I see it.

An inflation tax is not a tax. It acts like a tax, but in fact it is just an (automatic) effect of inflation. In fact, the reason why you might be seeing that "my" definition is the same as that of inflation is that "inflation tax" is really "inflation viewed as a tax". Unless your textbooks say that governments must purposefully induce inflation in order for this to be called "inflation tax", or that there are governments that actually do this. I know enough about economics and ideological biases to imagine what kind of economists consider this definition to be the only correct one. (I live in Argentina, land of failed economic experiments conducted by people of the Friedman school and their ilk.)

It's not a matter of negotiating the definition, or merging two different ones; if there are more than one, let's keep them apart. If mine is in fact incorrect, it must be deleted. What about this?:

--- BEGIN DEFINITION ---

An inflation tax is the economic disadvantage suffered by holders of cash and cash equivalents in one denomination of currency due to the effects of inflation, which acts as a hidden tax that subtracts value from currency.

For example, if the annual inflation rate in the United States is 5%, one dollar will buy $1 worth of goods and services this year, but only $0.95 the next year; this has the same effect as a 5% annual tax on cash holdings.

--- END DEFINITION ---

... followed by the rest ("Governments...").

I've taken the liberty to format your post a bit. It would also help if you registered and/or signed your posts, but that's up to you. Four tildes (~~~~) will automatically insert your name (or IP address) and the date and time. --Pablo D. Flores 11:03, 23 Jun 2005 (UTC)

[edit] seems ok now

Ok. I was the anonymous poster (by IP address) who was arguing this point. I think the definition is ok with me now.

81.64.150.248 13:18, 3 January 2006 (UTC) I just edited the article to mentione an utilisation of the term in economic litterature. Cf. for exemple the page 35 of these paper : "Crises and Crashes : Argentina 1885-2003" by Cerro and Meloni, may 2005, articledownloadable on http://econpapers.repec.org 81.64.150.248 13:18, 3 January 2006 (UTC)

---

If the argument in these links, both to the same article: http://www.gold-eagle.com/editorials_05/petrov011606.html http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article11613.htm is correct then 'what is an inflation tax' becomes one of the most important questions which could be asked.

The article argues that the U.S. taxes its empire cryptically using a variation on the 'classical inflation tax'. By forcing oil to be traded substantially in dollars and then inflating America taxes its empire. The implications of this would go on forever and drive most geo-politics.

So pull your fingers out boys and girls and get it sorted, non economists like me are depending on you. To be frank I don't understand your definition.