Inflation is an increase in the general price level that results in a decline in the purchasing power of money. A bit of inflation is actually good for the economy. It encourages consumption because postponing your purchase would result in paying more later. It reduces the burden on borrowers of funds because the real value of the loan will decrease, even if the nominal value is the same. It also reduces labour costs for employers.
There are times, of course, when inflation gets out of control and becomes hyperinflation. This happens when people’s confidence in the government’s handling of finance collapses. Governments have a fundamental conflict of interest as they feel that the more money they print, the richer they become. However, whenever they print money, they are essentially reducing the value of all the money already in circulation. This is why many developed countries today have made their central banks independent, so that short-term political ends do not override long-term responsible currency management to keep inflation under control.