"Inflation is the wrecker of worlds. It destroys purchasing power, increases the signal-to-noise ratio of prices critical to entrepreneurs and business managers, and distorts accounting records. Its uneven effects may make unprofitable companies and projects look profitable, and profitable ones appear to be losers. When persistent, it becomes a major drag on economic growth, increases unemployment, and rewards borrowers at the expense of lenders. And depending upon its origins, inflation may also facilitate lavish government spending beyond what tax and tariff incomes would otherwise permit. "