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Why do falling prices hurt debtors?


Why isn't there an “ideal value” for a given currency?What benefits does Bitcoin (i.e. cryptocurrency) offer?Why didn't the money printing by the US Federal Reserve since 2008 lead to inflation?Why does deflation cause banks to increase their interest rates?Why is deflation not considered the opposite of inflation?Why does falling global bond yields signal coming deflationWhy not just print money to combat deflation?Deflation and positive real interest rateWhy do central banks print money?Currencies fixed to gold













1












$begingroup$


The argument goes that if there is deflation, the real interest rate rises, and so the burden on debtors increase (Paul Krugman says so in https://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/why-is-deflation-bad/).



I understand why the real rate rises, since $r = i - pi$, but why does that mean there's more of a "burden" on debtors?



If I take out a loan for 1000 dollars today, and have to pay it back a year from now, why would it affect me negatively if suddenly everything became cheaper? Sure, the money I'd be paying back (1000 dollars + interest) is "worth more", in the sense of being able to buy more stuff, but ... so what? Those 1000 dollars + interest had to be paid back no matter what. Who cares if its "worth more"? It's not my money anyways, and is due to be paid back? How exactly has my "burden" increased?










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    1












    $begingroup$


    The argument goes that if there is deflation, the real interest rate rises, and so the burden on debtors increase (Paul Krugman says so in https://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/why-is-deflation-bad/).



    I understand why the real rate rises, since $r = i - pi$, but why does that mean there's more of a "burden" on debtors?



    If I take out a loan for 1000 dollars today, and have to pay it back a year from now, why would it affect me negatively if suddenly everything became cheaper? Sure, the money I'd be paying back (1000 dollars + interest) is "worth more", in the sense of being able to buy more stuff, but ... so what? Those 1000 dollars + interest had to be paid back no matter what. Who cares if its "worth more"? It's not my money anyways, and is due to be paid back? How exactly has my "burden" increased?










    share|improve this question









    New contributor




    Kastrup is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.







    $endgroup$














      1












      1








      1





      $begingroup$


      The argument goes that if there is deflation, the real interest rate rises, and so the burden on debtors increase (Paul Krugman says so in https://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/why-is-deflation-bad/).



      I understand why the real rate rises, since $r = i - pi$, but why does that mean there's more of a "burden" on debtors?



      If I take out a loan for 1000 dollars today, and have to pay it back a year from now, why would it affect me negatively if suddenly everything became cheaper? Sure, the money I'd be paying back (1000 dollars + interest) is "worth more", in the sense of being able to buy more stuff, but ... so what? Those 1000 dollars + interest had to be paid back no matter what. Who cares if its "worth more"? It's not my money anyways, and is due to be paid back? How exactly has my "burden" increased?










      share|improve this question









      New contributor




      Kastrup is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.







      $endgroup$




      The argument goes that if there is deflation, the real interest rate rises, and so the burden on debtors increase (Paul Krugman says so in https://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/why-is-deflation-bad/).



      I understand why the real rate rises, since $r = i - pi$, but why does that mean there's more of a "burden" on debtors?



      If I take out a loan for 1000 dollars today, and have to pay it back a year from now, why would it affect me negatively if suddenly everything became cheaper? Sure, the money I'd be paying back (1000 dollars + interest) is "worth more", in the sense of being able to buy more stuff, but ... so what? Those 1000 dollars + interest had to be paid back no matter what. Who cares if its "worth more"? It's not my money anyways, and is due to be paid back? How exactly has my "burden" increased?







      deflation






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      Kastrup is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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      share|improve this question









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      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited 2 hours ago









      Brian Romanchuk

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      asked 3 hours ago









      KastrupKastrup

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      61




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      New contributor





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          $begingroup$

          If the borrower is a firm, lower prices means your output is selling for less, so you need to sell more units in order to repay the debt (assuming a constant profit margin).



          For an individual, the buried assumption is that wages are also falling in the deflation. In which case, the debt is increasing relative to your wages. However, if your wages have not fallen, falling prices will make it easier for you to repay the debt (you can consume the same amount, and have more money left over to repay debt).



          It makes more sense at the macro level, as deflation is normally associated with lower growth and a higher unemployment rate.






          share|improve this answer









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            $begingroup$

            If the borrower is a firm, lower prices means your output is selling for less, so you need to sell more units in order to repay the debt (assuming a constant profit margin).



            For an individual, the buried assumption is that wages are also falling in the deflation. In which case, the debt is increasing relative to your wages. However, if your wages have not fallen, falling prices will make it easier for you to repay the debt (you can consume the same amount, and have more money left over to repay debt).



            It makes more sense at the macro level, as deflation is normally associated with lower growth and a higher unemployment rate.






            share|improve this answer









            $endgroup$

















              2












              $begingroup$

              If the borrower is a firm, lower prices means your output is selling for less, so you need to sell more units in order to repay the debt (assuming a constant profit margin).



              For an individual, the buried assumption is that wages are also falling in the deflation. In which case, the debt is increasing relative to your wages. However, if your wages have not fallen, falling prices will make it easier for you to repay the debt (you can consume the same amount, and have more money left over to repay debt).



              It makes more sense at the macro level, as deflation is normally associated with lower growth and a higher unemployment rate.






              share|improve this answer









              $endgroup$















                2












                2








                2





                $begingroup$

                If the borrower is a firm, lower prices means your output is selling for less, so you need to sell more units in order to repay the debt (assuming a constant profit margin).



                For an individual, the buried assumption is that wages are also falling in the deflation. In which case, the debt is increasing relative to your wages. However, if your wages have not fallen, falling prices will make it easier for you to repay the debt (you can consume the same amount, and have more money left over to repay debt).



                It makes more sense at the macro level, as deflation is normally associated with lower growth and a higher unemployment rate.






                share|improve this answer









                $endgroup$



                If the borrower is a firm, lower prices means your output is selling for less, so you need to sell more units in order to repay the debt (assuming a constant profit margin).



                For an individual, the buried assumption is that wages are also falling in the deflation. In which case, the debt is increasing relative to your wages. However, if your wages have not fallen, falling prices will make it easier for you to repay the debt (you can consume the same amount, and have more money left over to repay debt).



                It makes more sense at the macro level, as deflation is normally associated with lower growth and a higher unemployment rate.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered 2 hours ago









                Brian RomanchukBrian Romanchuk

                3,8091316




                3,8091316




















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