Re:WTF Happened in 1971? (2019)
by christophilus on Monday November 23, 2020 @12:12PM
(#25188977)
Another plausible explanation I’ve heard is that you had a massive influx of new consumers (baby boomers) entering the workforce. You almost can’t avoid inflation in that scenario.
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Another one adding to your point is huge number of women entering the workforce all at the same time. You are drastically increasing families' spending power and discretionary income = inflation.
Of course, when you double the supply of something, the price drops, which could partially explain stagnating wages. But in the early post-WWII decades it was a big win. Nowadays the negative consequences of moving away from traditional family roles are more obvious.
> You are drastically increasing families' spending power and discretionary income = inflation.
At the cost of decreasing their mobility, which prevents them from competing in nationwide labor markets, pushing down local market labor cost.