History's playbook for taming the beast of inflation

History's playbook for taming the beast of inflation

From Throughline by NPR

May 28, 2026 · 47 min

About this episode

This episode explores the history of inflation in the U.S. and the government's responses to it.

Gas. Meat. Flights. Houses. The cost of living is up. Inflation is rearing its head again. And as it rises higher, inflation risks devastating economies and draining savings accounts. So what can be done about it? This week, we explore the history of inflation in the U.S., how the government has responded, and who pays the price. This episode originally aired in 2022. Guests: John Cochrane , senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution Meg Jacobs , senior research scholar, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs Support shows like Throughline with NPR+. Sign up today at plus.npr.org See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

People in this episode

Guests: John Cochrane, Meg Jacobs

Topics covered

  • inflation
  • economy
  • cost of living
  • government response
  • historical analysis

Keywords

  • inflation
  • economy
  • cost of living
  • government response
  • historical inflation

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Stanford University's Hoover Institution, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs

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