The Economics of Prisons

Inflation is something we more or less take for granted these days. The idea that 5 dollars today is not going to be able to buy 5 dollars worth of stuff in the future, and the fact that you used to be able to buy a family home for 10 grand, are all the result of inflation.  The idea that over time money becomes worthless and less influences a lot of decisions in out lives. Everything from retirement planning to salary negotiations take this relatively benign and constant force into account.  But it is something that should be feared.