The great Chinese inequality turnaround

Ravi Kanbur, Yue Wang () and Xiaobo Zhang
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Yue Wang: Cornell University, U.S.A.

No 433, Working Papers from ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality

Abstract: The high inequality in China has been a focus of interest for policy makers and researchers. However limited work has been done to evaluate its latest trend since 2010. With the change of the economic structure and new policy tools carried out recent years, a revisit of the Chinese inequality should give us the latest information about its evolution and the impacts on income distribution of these economic and policy changes. This paper argues that after a quarter century of sharp and sustained increase, Chinese inequality is now plateauing and even turning down. The argument is made using a range of data sources and a range of measures and perspectives on inequality. The evolution of inequality is further examined through decomposition by income source and population subgroups. Preliminary explanations are provided for these trends in terms of shifts in policy and structural transformation of the Chinese economy. The narrative on Chinese inequality now needs to focus on the reasons for this great turnaround.

Keywords: Chinese Inequality Turnaround; Inequality Data; Inequality Trends; Inequality and Structural Transformation; Harmonious Development and Government Policy. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D31 D63 O15 O53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 29 pages
Date: 2017-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cna and nep-tra
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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http://www.ecineq.org/milano/WP/ECINEQ2017-433.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Journal Article: The great Chinese inequality turnaround (2021)
Working Paper: The Great Chinese Inequality Turnaround (2017)
Working Paper: The great Chinese inequality turnaround (2017)
Working Paper: The Great Chinese Inequality Turnaround (2017)
Working Paper: The great Chinese inequality turnaround (2017)
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