The creditor class would be hurt badly by hyper-inflation. From Charles Hugh Smith at oftwominds.com:
When predicting the future, we’re best served by following “what benefits the wealthy and powerful,” as that is the likeliest outcome.
This contrarian sees a strong consensus around the notion that hyper-inflation is the inevitable end-game of nation-states / central banks issuing fiat currencies, i.e. currencies that are not restrained by being pegged to tangible assets such as gold reserves. The temptation to issue (via “printing” or borrowing new currency into existence by selling sovereign bonds) more currency becomes irresistible to politicians and central bankers alike. as the means to mollify every constituency, from elites to the military to commoners dependent on state-funded bread and circuses.
This unrestrained creation of new money far in excess of the expansion of goods and services (i.e. the real economy) devalues the currency, as “all the new money chases too few goods and services.” Gresham’s law kicks in–bad money drives good money out of circulation–as precious metals, fine art, gemstones, etc. are hoarded and the depreciating currency is spent as fast as possible before its purchasing power declines even further.
The Cotillion Effect also kicks in: those closest to the spigot of new money get first dibs on converting the depreciating currency into tangible goods, leaving the non-elites to sweep up the “trickle-down” shreds left as the currency loses purchasing power daily.
Learned earlier that the former CCCP had 30% inflation at the end!
And here comrade Bernie couldn’t even leave a tip at the great patriotic hall singing songs of the glorious motherland.
Hey wait a minute, how did he go over there in 1988?