How does inflation influence income inequality in Russia?

Abstract

The paper studies the impact of inflation on income inequality in Russian regions. It was revealed that the reduction in inflation from double-digit rate to the Bank of Russia’s target did not help to mitigate inequality, but rather exacerbated it. We identified a group of products which changing price dynamics affects inequality. The price increase may lead to the decline in inequality through redistributive effect. It is shown that in Russia this effect is associated with the channel of unexpected inflation that results in real wealth transfer from more prosperous lenders to less well-off borrowers. The policy of inflation targeting, successfully implemented by the monetary authorities in recent years, has reduced the volatility of inflation and limited the operation of this channel. At the same time, quantitative estimates of the increase in inequality as a result of achieving price stability remain relatively low.