A Narrative Account of the Great Inflation in the UK 1961-1997 / Michael D. Bordo, Oliver Bush, Ryland Thomas.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bordo, Michael D.

Contributor:

Bush, Oliver.

Thomas, Ryland.

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w34363.

NBER working paper series no. w34363

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2025.

Summary:

This narrative paper provides a detailed account of the Great Inflation in the United Kingdom from 1961 to 1997, serving as a companion to the analytical account of fiscal policy presented in Bordo, Bush, and Thomas (2025). We discuss the background fundamentals in place at the outset of the Great Inflation and document the distinct phases of inflation, the unique features of the UK's experience relative to other advanced economies, and the interplay between fiscal, monetary, and incomes policies. By placing the UK's inflationary episodes within their institutional and historical context, this paper offers a qualitative perspective that complements the quantitative analysis of the main paper and informs ongoing debates about the causes and consequences of persistent inflation.

Notes:

October 2025.

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