A Keynesian liquidity trap occurs when interest rates are at or near zero, rendering monetary policy ineffective in stimulating economic growth. In this situation, individuals and businesses prefer to hold onto cash rather than invest or spend, believing that future economic conditions will worsen. As a result, despite central banks injecting liquidity into the economy, the increased money supply does not lead to increased spending or investment, which is essential for economic recovery.
This phenomenon can be summarized by the equation of the liquidity preference theory, where the demand for money () is highly elastic with respect to the interest rate (). When approaches zero, the traditional tools of monetary policy, such as lowering interest rates, lose their potency. Consequently, fiscal policy—government spending and tax cuts—becomes crucial in stimulating demand and pulling the economy out of stagnation.
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