EDIT: The rest of my comment below is (as pointed out below by gruez) incorrect. The article did say 'in 2021 dollars' in reference to one set of numbers, and it's reasonable to assume they meant that to apply to all the other numbers in the same paragraph.

It's still surprises me that The Economist would use CPI-adjusted figures, but fail to mention the adjustment. Using CPI-adjusted figures is common, but it's not the default, which is why people often add 'in real terms' or some other qualifier.