Pro-rural Policies, Income, and Inequality: Evaluating a Cash-for-Work Program in Rural China*

Yu Chen and Sylvie Démurger
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Yu Chen: University of Macau

Asian Economic Papers, 2014, vol. 13, issue 3, 87-114

Abstract: Despite the dramatic reduction of poverty in China over the past 35 years, poverty has not been fully eradicated in rural areas and, in the context of growing inequalities, it remains a national concern. This paper examines a local cash-for-work program launched in mountainous areas of the Beijing municipality in December 2004, with a view to understanding both the challenges and achievements of pro-poor programs in China. Using original household survey data, we first highlight the fairly good targeting performance of the program towards the local poor. Second, participation equations provide evidence of increasing local income without crowding out local agricultural activities. Finally, a decomposition of household income inequality by source highlights the strongly equalizing effect of the program on peasants' income. © 2014 The Earth Institute at Columbia University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Keywords: poverty; rural; China; local income; equalize (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I32 I38 J30 J31 R00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Working Paper: Pro-rural policies, income and inequality: Evaluating a cash-for-work program in rural China (2014)
Working Paper: Pro-rural policies, income and inequality: Evaluating a cash-for-work program in rural China (2014)
Working Paper: Pro-rural policies, income and inequality: Evaluating a cash-for-work program in rural China (2014)
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