Bubble, weak and strong hyperinflation: Theory and empirical evidence

This paper presents a theoretical framework that allows a taxonomy of hyperinflation, namely: (i) bubble, (ii) weak and (iii) strong hyperinflation. The inflation tax revenue curve is used to characterize each type of hyperinflation and we use this curve to test them. The bubble and strong hyperinfl...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Fernando de Holanda Barbosa, Tito Nícias Teixeira da Silva Filho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Emerald Publishing 2015-05-01
Series:EconomiA
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1517758015000156
Description
Summary:This paper presents a theoretical framework that allows a taxonomy of hyperinflation, namely: (i) bubble, (ii) weak and (iii) strong hyperinflation. The inflation tax revenue curve is used to characterize each type of hyperinflation and we use this curve to test them. The bubble and strong hyperinflation hypotheses are rejected using Brazilian data. The weak hyperinflation hypothesis is not rejected and the economy could have been on the ‘wrong’ side of the Laffer curve during hyperinflation. This outcome, contrary to conventional wisdom, is predicted by this hypothesis, which presents a solution to an old puzzle of the hyperinflation literature.
ISSN:1517-7580