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Money/inflation relation

Without some form of money would there be anything we could refer to as inflation; could the concept even exist?
BlueVeins · 22-25
You mean no currency at all? Like back to bartering? Not really, prices of goods would fluctuate relative to each other, but the idea of all prices rising in a barter economy is kinda nonsensical if you think about it.
Really · 80-89, M
@BlueVeins
the idea of all prices rising in a barter economy is kinda nonsensical
That's pretty much what I suggest when I say without money or some equivalent you couldn't have inflation as we conceive it.

It's just an idle thought. My brain does that.
ArishMell · 70-79, M
Interesting question!

Inflation is an effect of the perceived value of goods and services represented by money, so it may well still exist in some form.

Without money society would have to cope with very clumsy and complicated bartering systems, but how would you equate, say, a car insurance policy with crate-fuls of groceries? Or reward individuals' employment?

At various points the apparent value of the insurance, the groceries and the wages will change, but without a neutral link between all (as currency is) adjusting any to compensate for the others would be impossible.

So whilst inflation as we know it, as the diminution of the face-value of currency, could not happen; it's quite possible some equivalent version would occur but would be very difficult and unwieldy, even impossible, to manage.
SunshineGirl · 36-40, F
There would presumably still be mismatches of supply and demand, so the cost of goods would fluctuate. But by making it harder to accumu!ate wea!th those fluctuations would be less severe than in our current economy.

On the negative side, it would probably be more difficult to transfer wealth to quickly alleviate poverty.
whowasthatmaskedman · 70-79, M
Yes and No, In direct terms No..Money is fictional and is worth what we say it is for no better reason than we say it is.. However, relational values can and do change. A dozen eggs in a high laying season may not be worth as many oranges in trade, if the orange harvest is poor.Thats supply and demand. But the mechanism should be self correcting as supply alters..😷
Patriot96 · 56-60, C
Yes, 15 stalks of corn for one chicken. Last week it was 10
Really · 80-89, M
@dancingtongue Sorry, I don't see how this applies to what I've been saying. We seem to be looking at different pictures?
dancingtongue · 80-89, M
@Really My point exactly. You are looking solely, or mostly, at greed and money as being the cause of inflation. Without negating that that plays a factor, I am pointing out that whether you are paying in money or bartering something you have a surplus of, you are going to be willing to give more of it if it is scarce supply and you really want it. And vice versa.
Really · 80-89, M
@dancingtongue
you are going to be willing to give more of it if it is scarce supply and you really want it
Not necessarily. I may want something quite badly but still be willing to walk away from a too-high demand for goods in return. There is also no compulsion on the other party, to scale their demand in proportion to the scarcity of what they offer - even though we know that in most cases that's what humans will do.

I think the trouble with this discussion - for me - is that I'm pondering an imaginary, idealized situation (no currency, but individual bartering); while most of the responses are about actual, observed human 'nature.'

 
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