Classical Keynesianism, Monetary Theory, and the Price Level

Since I wrote my small volume on A General Theory of the Price Level, etc., I have often been asked for a fuller statement of my views, or my attitude on various matters treated only briefly at that time....I hope that the collection of essays that are contained herein fill in many of these gaps and answer the major part of the queries that admit of such elaboration.'In my opinion there are two contending theories of the price level: that deriving from the Equation of Exchange in one or another of its forms, and that based on cost, especially wage, phenomena. Thus the debate must be resolved primarily between two major sets of ideas on the subject of inflation. In this light it would be a welcome event, if those Keynesians in economics, who long ago abandoned the various versions of the Quantity Theory of Money and have little truck with the cost theory of the price level, would at least re-examine their views on this subject. It is my deep conviction that most of the literature oriented toward what has been regarded as Keynesian thinking has had very little to contribute toward understanding price level phenomena despite superficial appearances toward the contrary. The importance of this assertion cannot be overstated for, in bulk, this literature is already voluminous and in teaching importance it represents the dominant modern fashion. Yet, in my opinion, on the fundamental problems of price level inflation and deflation, I believe it to be wholly barren and devoid of substance. Perhaps these essays will reveal the stark nakedness of the concepts in the price dimensions that interest all of us.-Sidney Weintraub