Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Introduction

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Empirical Analysis on Income Inequality of Chinese Residents

Part of the book series: Gu Shutang Academic Fund of Economics ((GSAFE,volume 1))

  • 744 Accesses

Abstract

As the first chapter, this chapter introduces the background of the study and offers a literature review both at home and abroad, and then it gives a bird’s-eye view of the methods and structure of the book.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    For the Gini coefficient of urban and rural income from 1978 to 1999, see Chen Zongsheng and Zhou Yunbo (2002). That from 2000 to 2008 is based on our calculation from data in China Yearbook of Statistics after proper adjustment. The reason for adjustment is if the Gini should be calculated by the seven-grouping data provided in China Yearbook of Statistics, it would be too low relative to other measurements in representative regions. On inquiry from experts in the State Bureau of Statistics, we learn that the various data from over the country go to the Bureau has been flattened, and regional inequality has been smoothed. To see the real impact of regional inequality, we must readjust the data. For concrete steps of adjustment, see Chen Zongsheng and Zhou Yunbo (2002: 32–34). Besides, the data about rural income in China Yearbook of Statistics are not normalized, a far distance from direct calculation of Gini Coefficient, and need adjustment and estimation, the methods of which are seen in Chen Zongsheng and Zhou Yunbo (2002: 37–40). The Gini coefficient of total income inequality is calculated by means of Urban/Rural Weighted Method, the concrete calculating method of which can be seen in Chen Zongshegn and Zhou Yunbo (2002: 28).

  2. 2.

    The most commonly used explanation for the lower urban income inequality than rural one is that most urban residents are employed in state-owned sectors which have relatively lower income inequality, while rural income, dependent on a variety of factors like distance to cities, quality of land, non-agricultural development and climate, demonstrates higher inequality.

  3. 3.

    Research by Ximing Wu and Jeffrey (2005) substantiated this conclusion. Investigating the change of urban total income inequality using published data from 1985 to 2001, they found that in the years under review, enlargement of urban income inequality, which is less than rural one, was more accelerated and would end up surpassing rural income inequality.

References

  • Chen Zongsheng, Zhou Yunbo (2002) More remarks on income distribution during China’s reform and development—is there polarization in China? Economy and Science Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Chungen (2006) Fiscal, farmer’s burden and government legitimacy—an explanation for rural taxes and charges reform. Shanxi Fin Econ Univ J 3

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin Yifu, Cai Fang, Li Zhou (1999) Chinese miracle: development strategy and economic reform. Shanghai & Sanlian Press, Shanghai

    Google Scholar 

  • Rozell S (1994) Rural industrialization and inequality: emerging patterns in china’s reforming economy. J Comp Econ 19(3):362–391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Urban Social Economic Survey Division of SBS (2006) Hot issues of Chinese urban social economy. Chinese Statistics Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Walder AG (2002) Income determination and market opportunity in rural China, 1978–1996. J Comp Econ 30(3):54–375

    Google Scholar 

  • World Bank (1997) Sharing rising income: disparities in China, China 2020 Series. World Bank, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Ping (1992) Chinese rural income inequality across regions. Econ Res 2

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Yunbo (2004) China’s rural dual economy transformation and its impact on residents’ income inequality. Economist 1

    Google Scholar 

  • Ximing Wu, Jeffrey M. Perloff (2005) China income distribution, 1985–2001. Rev Econ Stat 87(4):763–775

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao Renwei, Griffin K (1994) The research on income distribution of Chinese residents. Chinese Social Science Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen Zongsheng, Zhou Yunbo (2001c) Impact of system reform on urban income inequality: more study on Tianjin urban residents’ income inequality. Chin Soc Sci 6

    Google Scholar 

  • Xue Shougang, Zhou Yunbo (2005) The major factors which cause the income inequality of in China’s urban residents-a case analysis of the population characters in Tianjin. Nankai Econ Stud (3):42–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Shi, Zhao Renwei (1999) Re-research on income distribution of Chinese residents. Econ Res J (4):3–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Shujie Yao (1999) Economic growth, income inequality and poverty in China under economic reforms. J Dev Stud 35(6):104–130

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gustafsson Björn, Li Shi (2000) Economic transformation and the gender earnings gap in urban China. J Popul Econ 13(2):305–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xin Meng (2004) Economic restructuring and income distribution, 1985–2001. Rev Econ Stat 87(4):763–775

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhou Wenxing (2002) Empirical analysis on the relationship of urban income inequality and economic growth. Econ Sci (1):40–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Luo Chuliang (2004) The development factors and reform factors for income gaps of urban resident. Shanghai Econ Rev (1):20–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Yonghui, Xiu Zerui (2005) How did the housing reform in urban China impact the income distribution. Contemp Econ Res (5):45–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Keith B. Griffin (1984) Institutional reform and economic development in the Chinese countryside, M.E. Sharpe.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rozelle S (1996) Stagnation without equity: patterns of growth and inequality in China's rural economy. China Journal 35:63–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Athar Hussain, Peter Lanjouw, Nicholas Stern (1994) Income inequalities in China: evidence from household survey data. World Dev 22(12):1947–1957

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duan Qinglin (1999) The basic character of rural residents’ income gap. Stat Decis (4):22–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Sha Zhifang, Sun Jingliang (2004) The promotion industrialization of special agriculture of YangZhou. Macroeconomics (2):30–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Tang Ping (2006) The analysis of rural residents’ income inequality change and its factors. Manage World (5):69–75

    Google Scholar 

  • Nong Zhu, Xubei Luo (2006) Nonfarm activity and rural income inequality: a case study of two provinces in China. World Bank policy research working paper, January

    Google Scholar 

  • Gustafsson Björn, Li Shi (2001) The anatomy of rising earnings inequality in urban China. J Comp Econ 29(1):118–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ding Renzhong, Chen Zhizhou, Gu Wenjun (2003) The inverted-U hypothesis and income inequality during the transformation period. Economist (6):43–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang Jun et al (2006) The analysis of the level of financial development and income distribution, Econ Sci 2:23–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Morduch Jonathan, Sicular Terry (2000) Politics, growth, and inequality in rural China: does it pay to join the party? J Public Econ 77(1):331–356

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin Yifu et al (1998) The analysis of regional inequality during the period of economy transition. Econ Res J (6):3–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Shi, Yue Ximing (2004) The investigation of income gap between urban and rural China. China Commer (6):9–10

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan, Riskin (1998) Income and inequality in China: composition, distribution and growth of household income, 1988 to 1995. China Q 154:221–253

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li Shi, Wei Zhong, Gustafsson (1999) Distribution of wealth among urban and township households in China. Econ Res J (3):16–23

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin Yifu, Cai Fang, Li Zhou (1994) China’s miracle: development strategy and economy reform. Shanghai Sanlian Bookshop and Shanghai People Press, Shanghai

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Shi (2001) Female labor force behavior study in rural China. Shanghai Econ Rev 38–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Qi, He Fan, Liu Mingxing (2003) Financial liberalization, policy consistent and the financial frangibility: theoretical frames and empirical evidence. World Econ (12):3–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen Zongsheng (1991) Income distribution in economic development under public ownership. Shanghai Sanlian Bookshop and Shanghai People Press, Shanghai

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao Renwei, Li Shi, Carl Riskin (1999) Re-research on income distribution of Chinese residents. Chinese Financial and Economic Press, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

  • Xiang Shujian (1998a) Calculation and regression of the Gini index in China. Theory Pract Finance Econ 1:75–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin Ravallion, Chen Shaohua (2004) How have the world’s poorest fared since the early 1980s? World Bank Res Obs 19(2):141–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Nankai University Tibet University, Tianjin, China, People’s Republic

    Yunbo Zhou

  2. New York University, New York, USA

    Yan Qin

Authors
  1. Yunbo Zhou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yan Qin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yunbo Zhou .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Zhou, Y., Qin, Y. (2012). Introduction. In: Empirical Analysis on Income Inequality of Chinese Residents. Gu Shutang Academic Fund of Economics, vol 1. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-24952-5_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-24952-5_1

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-24951-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-24952-5

  • eBook Packages: Business and EconomicsEconomics and Finance (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation