# "Inflation is not just pricing and interest rates are not just inflation" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 13, 2012, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inflation-is-not-just-pricing-and-interest-rates-are-not-just-inflation/624989 "2012-06-13T05:11:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 10
**Author:** ![Hellestal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3ab097/32.png) [@Hellestal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hellestal)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2012, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inflation-is-not-just-pricing-and-interest-rates-are-not-just-inflation/624989/10 "2012-06-14T01:10:40Z")
> [@davidmich](#): > > It seems like no one can settle on an adequate definition. Nonsense. On the one hand, you have the economics profession as it’s currently practiced. They [define inflation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflation) as a change in the general price level. That includes every [popular](http://www.amazon.com/Macroeconomics-N-Gregory-Mankiw/dp/1429218878/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1339635718&sr=1-1&keywords=macroeconomics+mankiw) [textbook](http://www.amazon.com/Economics-Banking-Financial-Markets-Edition/dp/0132770245/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1339635784&sr=8-2&keywords=economics+of+money+banking+and+financial+markets), every reputable economist, every relevant [government agency](http://www.bls.gov/cpi/), every major [business](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303665904577455252019721194.html) [newspaper](http://ftalphaville.ft.com/blog/2012/05/16/1003821/discuss-among-yourselves-inflation-trend-path-comparison-edition) – and not just in English, [but](http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflation) [worldwide](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%A4%E3%83%B3%E3%83%95%E3%83%AC%E3%83%BC%E3%82%B7%E3%83%A7%E3%83%B3). The entire field, across the entire globe, has settled on a single adequate definition as a change in the general price level. That is how the experts actually define it. On the other hand, you have a handful of commenters on the internet who prefer the definition that’s 70 years out-of-date. There is no dispute here. The correct definition is the one professionals actually use around the world. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inflation-is-not-just-pricing-and-interest-rates-are-not-just-inflation/624989)._