Question map
With reference to Indian economy, demand-pull inflation can be caused/increased by which of the following? 1. Expansionary policies 2. Fiscal stimulus 3. Inflation-indexing wages 4. Higher purchasing power 5. Rising interest rates Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Explanation
The correct answer is Option 1 (1, 2 and 4 only). Demand-pull inflation occurs when aggregate demand outpaces aggregate supply ("too much money chasing too few goods").
- Expansionary policies (1) and Fiscal stimulus (2): These involve increased government spending or tax cuts, injecting liquidity into the economy and boosting consumer demand.
- Higher purchasing power (4): When consumers have more disposable income, their demand for goods and services increases, driving prices upward.
Why other points are incorrect:
- Inflation-indexing wages (3): This is generally considered a consequence of inflation or a factor in cost-push inflation (wage-price spiral), rather than an initial cause of demand-pull inflation.
- Rising interest rates (5): This is a contractionary measure used by the RBI to curb inflation by making borrowing expensive and reducing money supply, thereby decreasing demand.
Thus, only factors 1, 2, and 4 directly contribute to increasing demand-pull inflation.
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest previewThis is a high-fairness 'Concept Application' question solvable via fundamental macroeconomics. It relies less on rote memorization of lists and more on understanding the directional flow of variables (e.g., Interest Rates ↑ = Demand ↓). The key lies in identifying the 'Anti-dote' (Rising Interest Rates) hidden among the 'Poisons' (Causes).
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Can expansionary policies cause or increase demand-pull inflation in the Indian economy?
- Statement 2: Can fiscal stimulus cause or increase demand-pull inflation in the Indian economy?
- Statement 3: Can inflation-indexing of wages cause or increase demand-pull inflation in the Indian economy?
- Statement 4: Can higher (increased) purchasing power cause or increase demand-pull inflation in the Indian economy?
- Statement 5: Can rising interest rates cause or increase demand-pull inflation in the Indian economy?
- Defines demand-pull inflation as arising from an increase in aggregate demand across sectors.
- Explicitly links over-expansion of the money supply, tax reductions and higher government spending to demand-pull inflation.
- Lists increased private and government spending, reduction in taxes, and higher money supply/bank credit as direct causes of demand-pull inflation.
- Explains the mechanism: higher disposable income → higher aggregate demand with unchanged aggregate supply → price rise.
- Describes monetization of deficit (printing money to finance government deficit) as increasing aggregate demand and money supply.
- Connects such monetization to increased inflation and potential loss of monetary policy control.
- Defines demand-pull inflation as arising from an increase in aggregate demand across sectors.
- Explicitly lists government reducing taxes and spending more as causes of demand-pull inflation.
- States that demand-pull inflation is caused by increased government spending and tax reductions.
- Connects higher disposable income and increased aggregate demand to price rises.
- Explains that monetization/deficit financing raises aggregate demand via increased money supply.
- Links increased money supply from financing deficits to higher inflation.
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- Defines demand-pull inflation as resulting from an increase in aggregate demand across sectors.
- Lists policy actions (money supply expansion, tax cuts, higher government spending) that raise aggregate demand and cause demand-pull inflation — establishing the causal channel from higher spending to inflation.
- States that increased disposable income and consumption lead to higher aggregate demand.
- Links higher aggregate demand directly to demand-pull inflation, providing the income→demand→inflation pathway relevant to wage changes.
- Lists increased disposable income and bank credit as causes of demand-pull inflation, reinforcing that higher incomes boost aggregate demand.
- Supports the interpretation that measures which raise incomes (e.g., wage adjustments) can feed into demand-driven price rises.
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- Explicitly links increased private and government spending, tax reductions and increased money/bank credit to higher disposable income.
- Connects higher disposable income to a rise in aggregate demand, the core driver of demand-pull inflation.
- Directly states that deficit financing increases money supply and the purchasing power of people.
- Shows the causal chain: higher purchasing power → increased aggregate demand → price rises (inflation).
- Defines demand-pull inflation as arising from an increase in aggregate demand when demand exceeds productive capacity.
- Lists over-expansion of money supply, tax cuts and higher government spending as causes—mechanisms that raise purchasing power.
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- Explains that raising interest rates is a tool used to prevent overheating and inflation, implying higher rates counteract demand-driven inflation.
- Links monetary tightening directly to reducing inflationary pressure from excess demand.
- States that rising interest rates have raised borrowing costs well above growth in many EMDEs, which is associated with demand softening.
- Connects tighter monetary policy (higher rates) with receding global inflation as demand softens.
- Provides an example where rising interest rates led to softer credit growth, indicating reduced demand.
- Links lower credit expansion to subdued demand, which would work against demand-pull inflation.
Gives an explicit list of standard causes of demand-pull inflation (increased private/government spending, lower household savings, depreciation, tax cuts, increase in money supply and bank credit).
A student could note that rising interest rates are not listed here and so would check whether higher rates mechanically lead to any of these listed drivers (e.g., increase money supply or disposable income) using basic monetary transmission knowledge.
Contrasts demand-pull with cost-push and explicitly associates 'higher cost of capital, interest rates, etc.' with cost-push inflation rather than demand-pull.
One could extend this by using the standard idea that higher interest rates raise production costs (cost-push) and then ask whether any secondary effects could instead raise aggregate demand.
Presents an exam-style list that includes 'rising interest rates' among candidate causes to be evaluated for demand-pull inflation, implying the issue is debated or commonly queried.
A student might use this to justify testing whether rising rates fit the causal patterns in authoritative lists (e.g., by checking if rising rates increase disposable income or money supply in India).
Identifies deficit financing via borrowing from the banking system as a demand-side cause (i.e., expansion of bank credit increases demand).
One could contrast this mechanism with the usual effect of rising market interest rates on bank borrowing/credit to assess whether higher rates would raise or dampen bank credit and thus demand.
Notes the role of interest rates in policy discussions (inflation targeting) and reports that real rates have been negative, linking interest-rate stance with inflation outcomes.
A student could combine this with the basic fact that central bank rate changes are used to control inflation to consider whether rising rates are more likely a response to, or a cause of, demand pressures.
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- [THE VERDICT]: Sitter. Solvable purely by eliminating Statement 5 (Rising Interest Rates curb inflation). Source: NCERT Macroeconomics / Vivek Singh Ch. 2.
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Determinants of Inflation (Demand-Pull vs. Cost-Push) and the Monetary Policy Transmission mechanism.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the distinct drivers: 1. Cost-Push: Supply shocks, hoarding, rising crude prices, higher indirect taxes. 2. Structural: Infrastructural bottlenecks. 3. Related Concepts: Skewflation (price rise in few commodities), Stagflation (Inflation + Stagnation), Core Inflation (minus food/fuel), GDP Deflator.
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: Do not just read definitions. Apply the 'Arrow Test' to every variable: If X increases, does Money Supply/Purchasing Power go UP or DOWN? If UP → Demand Pull. If DOWN → Disinflationary.
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Distinguishes inflation driven by excess aggregate demand from inflation driven by supply-side cost shocks, essential to judge the effect of expansionary policy.
High-yield for UPSC: helps classify questions on inflation causes and choose appropriate policy responses; links macro growth, unemployment, and monetary/fiscal policy debates. Mastery enables direct answers on whether policies are demand- or supply-driven.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 4: Inflation > CHAPTER SUMMARY > p. 76
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > There are mainly two causes of inflation: > p. 112
Growth in money supply and bank credit raises disposable income and aggregate demand, a core channel for demand-pull inflation.
Crucial for questions on RBI policy, inflation targeting and transmission mechanism of monetary policy; explains how liquidity conditions can translate into price rises and affects answers on policy trade-offs.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > There are mainly two causes of inflation: > p. 112
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 4: Government Budgeting > Impact of "Monetization of Deficit" > p. 165
Financing government deficits through borrowing from the central bank or printing money increases money supply and can raise demand-led inflation.
Important for fiscal-monetary interaction questions; helps evaluate risks of easy fiscal financing (inflation, rupee depreciation, loss of policy credibility) and frames answers on sustainable public finance.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 4: Inflation > a) Demand Side Factors/Causes for Inflation > p. 70
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 4: Government Budgeting > Impact of "Monetization of Deficit" > p. 165
Distinguishes inflation caused by excess aggregate demand from inflation caused by rising production costs or supply shocks.
High-yield for policy questions and macroeconomic analysis: helps answer why similar price rises call for different policy responses (fiscal/monetary vs supply-side). Connects to growth, unemployment, and stagflation topics and enables evaluation-type questions on appropriate interventions.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > There are mainly two causes of inflation: > p. 112
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 4: Inflation > CHAPTER SUMMARY > p. 77
Fiscal stimulus works through increased government spending, tax reductions and associated rises in disposable income that boost aggregate demand.
Crucial for questions on fiscal policy design and macro stabilization: explains transmission from policy action to aggregate demand and inflation, links to fiscal deficit, monetary policy coordination, and short-run vs long-run effects.
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 16: Terminology > 16 Terminology > p. 461
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 4: Inflation > CHAPTER SUMMARY > p. 77
Financing government deficits via central bank (monetization) or banking system increases money supply and can raise aggregate demand and inflation.
Important for public finance and macro prudence topics: shows risks of monetizing deficits, impact on inflation and exchange rates, and relevance to fiscal-monetary coordination and sovereign ratings — useful for policy critique and cause-effect questions.
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 4: Inflation > a) Demand Side Factors/Causes for Inflation > p. 70
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 4: Government Budgeting > Impact of "Monetization of Deficit" > p. 165
Demand-pull inflation arises when aggregate demand exceeds the economy's capacity to supply, causing general price rises.
High-yield for UPSC because many policy questions hinge on whether shocks are demand- or supply-driven; links macro policy (fiscal/monetary) to price outcomes and aids in diagnosing policy responses (tighten demand vs. boost supply).
- Indian Economy, Vivek Singh (7th ed. 2023-24) > Chapter 2: Money and Banking- Part I > There are mainly two causes of inflation: > p. 112
- Indian Economy, Nitin Singhania .(ed 2nd 2021-22) > Chapter 4: Inflation > CAUSE OF INFLATION > p. 69
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The 'Wage-Price Spiral'. While Statement 3 (Indexing wages) was not part of the correct answer for 'Demand Pull' in this specific elimination context, it is the core mechanism of 'Built-in Inflation'. Expect a future question distinguishing between 'Imported Inflation' (Rupee depreciation) and 'Structural Inflation' (Supply chain bottlenecks).
The 'Cure vs. Cause' Logic. Ask yourself: 'What does the RBI do when inflation is high?' They *raise* interest rates. Therefore, rising interest rates are the *remedy*, not the *malady*. Statement 5 is logically impossible as a cause. Eliminate options with 5 (B, C, D) → Answer is A.
Mains GS3 (Inclusive Growth): Inflation is often termed a 'Regressive Tax' because it hurts the poor (with lower purchasing power) more than the rich. Connect this to the debate on the RBI's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) prioritizing inflation targeting over growth.
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