In this article, I will try to explain how printing currency can lead to inflation while bringing back the black money would not lead to inflation.
If printing money can increase inflation, won’t bringing black money back into the system increase inflation as well?
Let us understand this in simple language.
To start with understand first that there is a difference between adding money through printing more currency (Seigniorage) and bringing back “black money”.
Now understand why the government prints more money:
Governments print more currency for reasons like fuelling economic growth, controlling inflation, replacing old money, ensuring financial stability, managing foreign exchange reserves, and financing government spending. Careful management is crucial to prevent issues like hyperinflation and maintain economic stability.
There are several purposes that can be solved by printing currency but we will focus on how printing more money can accelerate inflation in the economy.
Printing more money can cause inflation by increasing the amount of money in circulation relative to the supply of goods and services. Here’s a numerical example to illustrate:
Imagine an economy with a total money supply of $1,000 and only 100 apples available for purchase. In this scenario, each apple is priced at $10 (1,000/100 = 10).
Now, suppose the government prints an additional $500 and injects it into the economy, increasing the total money supply to $1,500. However, the supply of apples remains at 100. With the extra money, people have more to spend, and they’re willing to pay higher prices for apples. Sellers may start charging $15 per apple because of increased demand (1,500/100 = 15).
In this example, the increased money supply led to inflation in the price of apples. The price rose from $10 to $15 due to the excess money chasing the same number of apples. This illustrates how printing more money can lead to inflation by increasing the demand for goods and services without a corresponding increase in supply.
Now understand the meaning of “Black money”
“Black money” refers to income, funds, or assets that are obtained through illegal or unreported means and are not disclosed to tax authorities or other relevant authorities. This income or wealth often evades taxation and may be generated from activities such as tax evasion, corruption, illegal businesses, money laundering, or other illicit activities. Black money is typically concealed to avoid legal consequences and to hide its true origin. It can undermine the integrity of financial systems and can have negative economic and social implications for a country. Efforts to combat black money include measures to increase transparency and enforce tax and financial regulations.
So, from the above explanation one thing needs to be addressed black money is majorly constituting money for which people have not given their taxes although they have added to the economy through the sale of goods and services it’s just if their sale amount (turnover) is $ 200000 they have shown $150000.
This black money can majorly in the form of cash as transactions made through banks can be scrutinized by the Income tax department.
Now the big players who are involved in millions of dollars of tax evasion try to allocate these funds to different countries and different sources so that they can not be traced by authorities. This is how it is done.
Allocating black money to different nations involves secretive methods to hide its illegal origins. Common methods include offshore accounts, shell companies, money laundering, real estate investments, cryptocurrencies, trade-based schemes, smurfing, and underground banking. For example, someone might open an offshore account in a tax haven, move money through shell companies, and invest in foreign real estate to conceal black money. These practices are illegal and subject to international scrutiny.
Imagine an individual earns $1 million from illegal activities and wants to allocate it to different nations. They open an offshore account in Country A, deposit $300,000, create a shell company in Country B to invest $400,000 in foreign real estate, and use a cryptocurrency to transfer $200,000 to Country C. By employing these methods, they obscure the origins of their black money across three different nations, making it challenging for authorities to trace.
Understanding how this Black money can hamper the nation:
Sending black money abroad negatively impacts a domestic country’s economic performance. For instance, if $100 billion in black money is sent abroad from a $1 trillion GDP economy:
1. Tax Revenue Loss: The government loses $20 billion (20% of $100 billion) in tax revenue, affecting public services.
2. Reduced Domestic Investment: The $100 billion could have been used for domestic investments, hampering economic growth.
3. Distorted Economic Data: Illicit outflows distort economic data, hindering policymakers’ ability to make informed decisions.
4. Increased Inequality: Black money benefits a select few and remains hidden from the domestic economy, worsening income inequality.
Now understand How bringing back $1 billion would not cause Inflation:
Bringing back $1 billion to the domestic country doesn’t necessarily cause inflation if it’s managed carefully. Here’s how:
1. Gradual Reinvestment: If the $1 billion is gradually reinvested in the domestic economy rather than being dumped all at once, it can be absorbed more effectively. This avoids a sudden surge in demand that could drive up prices.
2. Productive Investments: If the repatriated funds are invested in productive sectors of the economy, such as infrastructure, technology, or manufacturing, they can contribute to economic growth without causing inflation. These investments increase the capacity of the economy to produce more goods and services.
3. Monetary Policy: The central bank can adjust monetary policy to counteract any potential inflationary pressures. They can increase interest rates to reduce borrowing and spending if inflation starts to rise due to increased money supply.
4. Fiscal Policy: The government can also implement fiscal policies like taxation or government spending adjustments to balance the impact of repatriated funds on the economy.
5. Transparency and Regulation: Monitoring and regulating the use of repatriated funds can ensure they are channeled into productive sectors and not misused.
6. Elastic Supply: In some cases, the economy may have an elastic supply of goods and services, meaning it can respond to increased demand without significant price increases. This can help absorb the repatriated funds without causing inflation.
It’s important to note that while bringing back funds may not inherently cause inflation, other factors such as the overall economic context, government policies, and the scale and speed of fund repatriation can influence whether inflation occurs. Therefore, careful management of repatriated funds and consideration of broader economic conditions are crucial to prevent inflationary pressures.