Since inflation and deflation are just monetary things, things like wages and asset values should move in lockstep with it, and this has historically been true.

Since inflation and deflation are just monetary things, things like wages and asset values should move in lockstep with it, and this has historically been true. Wages go up over time, as do things like gold prices and stock indices, in dollar terms. So why do governments prefer slight inflation? A slight amount of inflation first allows governments to print a bit more money than they're collecting, which allows them to spend a bit more. Comparatively, in a deflationary world, they would need to collect more taxes than they spend, which would be tough both politically and tough for balanced budgets, since government spending is useful. Deflation would mean that you basically get a net worth bump just from holding on to cash. You would have a real, tangible benefit of not spending money but rather keeping it in a bank account. Money in a bank account does not contribute to productivity. Money spent, or invested in companies doing productive work, is preferable. To counter inflation you at the very least need to invest in something like a CD, which the bank can then use to loan out mortgages and the like, keeping the money flowing.