Can the Nominal Interest Rate Ever Be Negative? Can the Real

question 17

Essay

Can the nominal interest rate ever be negative? Can the real interest rate ever be negative? Explain.

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Definitions:

Excise Taxes

Taxes paid when purchases are made on a specific good, such as gasoline, usually levied by the government on the sale of goods and services.

Shifting of Taxes

The process by which the burden of a tax is transferred from one party, such as the seller, to another, such as the buyer.

Perfectly Inelastic

A situation where the demand for a product does not change in response to a change in price.

Excise Tax

A tax levied on specific goods, services, or transactions, often based on quantity purchased rather than value, such as taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, and fuel.