Inflation is a tax on interest-bearing, interest-indexed, or financial instruments; loans, bonds, debt, and insurance claims (policies are priced in uninflated currency, claims are paid in inflated currency, see the 1980s liability insurance crisis triggered by high inflation, though blamed on much else).
Wage-earners, and fixed-income households if inflation indexed are largely untouched by inflation.
That's what I mean when I say poor - no debts, no assets just little savings in money and wages. Possible slight lag is not only possible and not slight, every increase in wages must be battled for while inflation comes automatically, money also represents 100% of the capital and therefore affects the poor completely.
> money also represents 100% of the capital and therefore affects the poor completely.
Per definition the poor don't have much savings. Their wealth is mostly in durable consumer goods: Car, television, furniture, etc. The market prices of these goods rise with inflation.
Fair wouldn't be my choice for a word to describe an increase minimum wage every 10 years or so if the political constellation is right, while the rich get handouts every day.
Wage-earners, and fixed-income households if inflation indexed are largely untouched by inflation.