A Novel End to the Big Inflation in China in 1950*

The Chinese inflation of 1949-1950 was fueled by large budget deficits but was ended in March 1950 before significant deficit reduction occurred. We discuss the fiscal strains that gave rise to this inflation and consider the role played by early Communist market-based anti-inflationary measures such as the 'economic warfare' against speculators conducted by the government's state trading companies. While later monetary and fiscal tightening sustained the stabilization achieved in March – at considerable cost to the real economy – the Chinese experience seems to confirm that there is more to inflation stabilization than fiscal balance alone. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.