Stephen Hickson — Raising the bar

Why Inflation Is Like Toothpaste

Developed nations have enjoyed a long period of time with low inflation. An entire generation of people (largely those born after the mid-80s) has grown up knowing nothing other than stable prices – and in fact, enjoying falling prices for many things, such as computers and other tech. But inflation has come back again, and we have collectively forgotten why it was a problem in the first place and how hard it can be to get rid of it. In this talk, Stephen will explain how inflation arises, why it’s bad for us and how we got rid of it. And yes – why it is like toothpaste.

Bio

Stephen Hickson is a Senior Teaching Fellow in the Department of Economics and Finance and Director of the Business Taught Masters programme. To him, economics isn’t just another academic discipline – it’s a fascinating window on the world and a lens through which we can understand the behaviour of people in their everyday lives. So much so, that if you see him out on his bike, he’s more likely to be listening to Tim Harford than Taylor Swift. His long-suffering wife thinks this is slightly weird. She is probably right.