High inflation and hyperinflation: a post-Keynesian view

Vol. 10 No. 4 (1990)

Oct-Dec / 1990
Published October 1, 1990
PDF-Portuguese (Português (Brasil))
PDF-Portuguese (Português (Brasil))

How to Cite

Carvalho, Fernando J. Cardim de. 1990. “High Inflation and Hyperinflation: A Post-Keynesian View”. Brazilian Journal of Political Economy 10 (4):520-39. https://doi.org/10.1590/0101-31571990-0543.

High inflation and hyperinflation: a post-Keynesian view

Fernando J. Cardim de Carvalho
Professor Adjunto da Universidade Federal Fluminense-. e Professor Visitante da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro.
Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 10 No. 4 (1990), Oct-Dec / 1990, Pages 520-539

Abstract

Inflation has become, in the 80’s, the most important barrier to resuming economic
growth in Brazil. A post-Keynesian approach to this problem stresses the effects that
continuing high inflation has on beliefs and institutions, especially the system of money forward
contracts that is fundamental to organize and coordinate an entrepreneurial economy. A
High Inflation Regime is defined by the introduction of new monies-of-account for forward
contracts, that is, indexation, and by a change in the modes of price formation. It is shown that
High Inflation characterizes an unstable equilibrium that may degenerate into hyperinflation.
The permanence of high inflation, however, may engender stagnating tendencies.

JEL Classification: E31


Keywords: Inflation