What would qualify as hyperinflation? If by hyperinflation you mean "several years of 10-20% inflation" -- something unprecedented in developed economies in re

What would qualify as hyperinflation? If by hyperinflation you mean "several years of 10-20% inflation" -- something unprecedented in developed economies in recent history -- then sure, that's not unimaginable. It's also not a civilisation-changing problem. Many countries have lived through that kind of experience. I supposed I could be convinced that 1970s-style stagflation could return as a result of the pandemic. If on the other hand you mean "100% per week inflation", e.g. like Zimbabwe experienced, then that one is harder to defend. You'd need to have the loss of a functioning reserve bank as a starting point (because otherwise the reserve bank would just push interest rates up to the point that inflation was reduced). Generally having a powerless reserve bank can only happen when some other country controls whatever it is that backs the currency that everyone in your country uses for trade. (e.g. being on the gold standard; being part of the Eurozone and not being trusted, large amounts of borrowing and transactions in foreign currencies; an economy based on bitcoin transactions; if any of these apply you have at least the basis for an inability to stop hyperinflation). What's the trajectory that would get the USA there though?