CPI的理论框架:固定篮子指数还是生活费用指数?

The Theoretical Framework of CPI: Fixed-Basket Index or Cost-of-Living Index

消费者价格指数(CPI)是使用最广泛的宏观经济指标之一。固定篮子指数和生活费用指数是编制CPI的两个理论框架,在国际上,使用哪一个理论框架来编制CPI是一个有争议的问题,美国、荷兰、瑞典等少数国家使用生活费用指数框架,而绝大部分国家使用固定篮子指数框架。本文介绍了CPI的两种理论框架之争,对两种理论框架进行了全面的比较,探讨了生活费用指数成为价格指数的条件,对生活费用指数的优点、缺点和新产品的处理等问题进行了分析,在此基础上得出结论。

The CPI is one of the most widely used macroeconomic indicators. The theory of fixed - basket index and the theory of cost - of - living index are two theoretical frameworks of CPI. Some countries, such as US, Netherlands, and Sweden, base their CPIs on the theory of cost - of - living index. Most of other countries base their CPIs on the theory of fixed - basket index. This paper systematically studies the two theoretical frameworks of CPI, and finds the measurement objective is crucial to determine the choice between fixed - basket index and cost -of- living index.