Why Are People Worrying About Deflation?

Deflation is a general decline in prices. For anyone who has been struggling to make ends meet that may not sound all bad. In fact, it’s not always bad. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, between 1876 and 1879, prices in the United States fell by about 5 percent per year, on average, while the economy grew at a 7.6 percent clip.

The UK is often considered to have been the hardest hit during this period, losing some of its large industrial lead over the economies of Continental Europe. The average rate of growth grew at just 1.75-2.25 percent, reflecting the growing pace of industrialisation and technological progress. (more…)