Paul Goble
Staunton, Feb. 15 – There are a variety of ways a government can hide inflation: It can stop releasing data, it can lie, and it can change the way its statistical arm calculates inflation, dropping from the list on which price rises are calculated those items which have increased the most and including others that have increased less.
Rosstat has adopted all these tactics, but it has found that the first two are often counter-productive: If the government doesn’t release data, independent analysts do and sometimes offer figures even higher than reality; and if it lies, critics are often able to call attention to that, undercutting faith both in those figures and in government statements as a whole.
Consequently, Rosstat has increasing changed the mix of items it includes in coming up with inflation statistics, dropping items like airplane tickets, analgesics, alcohol, and multi-vitamins, the prices of which have gone up the most and inserting their place things like filling teeth, whose prices haven’t (ehorussia.com/new/node/32090).
This statistical sleight of hand works better because at least the data are consistent within the tables offered and so many people will be inclined to believe what the authorities are saying – despite the fact that they can see around them that prices for many goods are going up far more rapidly than Rosstat is now saying.
Sunday, January 19, 2025
Rosstat Changes Way It Calculates Inflation to Hide Price Increases
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