Inflation boosts spending, lowers interest rates, improving economic welfare.
The article explores how inflation affects the economy by studying the relationship between inflation, monetary velocity, and welfare. The researchers use a model of a monetary economy with a cash-in-advance constraint and uncertainty to analyze the impact of inflation on monetary velocity and interest rates. They find that monetary velocity increases with inflation, and the best monetary policy maximizes real balances. Additionally, inflation can lower the real rate of interest.