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Inflation is probably the most important single factor in that vicious circle wherein one kind of government action makes more and more government control necessary. For this reason all those who wish to stop the drift toward increasing government control should concentrate their effort on monetary policy.

Friedrich Hayek#64

Attribution disputed; shown as originally published.

PolicyControlEconomyInflation

About this quote

What does it mean?
Inflation drives government control; stopping inflation reduces the need for more regulation.
In plain terms
Inflation causes more government control; fix money policy to stop it.
What can you take from it?
Control inflation to limit government growth.

Where it applies

  • monetary policy
  • economic reform

Putting it to work

  • focus on central bank policy

Questions to consider

  • Is inflation really the root cause?
  • Can monetary policy fix everything?

Another view

Other factors also drive regulation.

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