The return of inflation is currently a preoccupation of political decisionmakers, economists and the general public. After two decades of wondering why inflation was so low, despite vast economic stimulus, economists were surprised by the recent surge in price increases. Despite disagreement about what exactly is happening in the economy, there is unanimity that growth must be slowed in order to control inflation. To focus on inflation's return, Paul Mattick looks at the past as well as the present, placing current events in the context of capitalism's history. Exploring in novel terms the nature of money itself, he provides a concise, jargon-free understanding of recent inflation and official efforts to control it, illuminating the state of our contemporary economy.