Economist on How High Inflation Takes Time To Build Up

This documentary segment features an interview with Kenneth Rogoff, an economics professor at Harvard University and former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund. The discussion focuses on the dynamics of inflation, specifically how high inflation develops over time. Rogoff’s insights are presented within the context of his extensive work on financial crises and global finance.

The interview with Rogoff was conducted by James Jacoby on March 25, 2026, as part of the FRONTLINE documentary titled “The President vs. the Fed.” Rogoff’s academic background includes co-authorship of “This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly” and “Foundations of International Macroeconomics,” in addition to his 2025 publication, “Our Dollar, Your Problem: An Insider’s View of Seven Turbulent Decades of Global Finance, and the Road Ahead.”

Key Themes & Topics Examined

• The temporal aspects of inflation development.
• The role of economic theory in understanding financial phenomena.
• The historical context of financial crises and global finance.
• The interplay between presidential administrations and central banking institutions.

Archival & Investigative Sources

• Interview with Kenneth Rogoff, Harvard University economics professor and former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund.
• Research and publications by Kenneth Rogoff, including “This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly” and “Our Dollar, Your Problem.”
• FRONTLINE documentary “The President vs. the Fed.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Kenneth Rogoff?

Kenneth Rogoff is an economics professor and chair of international economics at Harvard University. He served as chief economist at the International Monetary Fund from 2001 to 2003 and is an author of several books on economics and financial history.

What is the primary subject of this documentary segment?

The segment focuses on Kenneth Rogoff’s analysis of how high inflation builds up over time, drawing on his expertise in economics and financial history.

From which larger documentary is this segment derived?

This segment is an excerpt from the FRONTLINE documentary titled “The President vs. the Fed.”