Coin Debasement vs Fiscal Deficits: In ancient Rome, inflation primarily resulted from coin debasement. The Roman government would reduce the silver content in their coins while maintaining the same face value, leading to inflation. In contrast, inflation in the United States today typically stems from budget deficits and loose monetary policy rather than currency manipulation.
Control versus Autonomy: The Roman government exerted a high degree of control over its economy and directly set the value of its currency. The United States operates a decentralized and autonomous Federal Reserve. This means inflation is often managed through indirect market mechanisms as central banks attempt to balance competing economic variables rather than enforcing fixed values.
Impact of Technology: Modern technological advancements contribute to economic productivity gains in countries today, influencing how economies respond to inflationary processes. In ancient Rome, advancements were modest relative to today's era, making the impact of productivity variations significantly different.