Inequality and Public Policy in China

This volume provides an analysis of inequality in China, with an emphasis on public policy.

Björn A. Gustafsson (Edited by), Li Shi (Edited by), Terry Sicular (Edited by)

9780521870450, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 7 April 2008

384 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.5 cm, 0.73 kg

'… a rare fusion of rigorous empirical analysis, clear presentation, good-quality data and thoughtful attention to public policy concerns. … The book starts with an excellent introduction which should become a standard text for anyone looking for an accessible review of trends in income distribution over China's recent reform period. … This book stands as a tribute to long-standing research partnerships, collaborative relationships between Chinese and international scholars, and to the donors who have supported multiple rounds of the survey. it is a model of research, and of research collaboration, deserving support and emulation.' The China Journal

This volume examines trends in inequality in the People's Republic of China. It contains findings on inequality nationwide, as well as within the rural and urban sectors, with an emphasis on public policy considerations. Several chapters focus on inequality of income; others analyse poverty, inequality in wealth, and the distribution of wages. Attention is given to groups such as migrants, women, and the elderly, as well as the relationship between income and health care funding and the impact of the rural tax reform. All contributors to this volume make use of a large, nationwide survey of Chinese households, the product of long-term co-operation between Chinese and international researchers that is unique in its scope and duration. Using these data, the contributors examine changes in inequality from 1988 to 2002.

List of Tables and figures
Contributors
Acknowledgements
1. Inequality and public policy in China: issues and trends Björn Gustafsson, Li Shi, and Terry Sicular
2. Income inequality and spatial differences in China, 1988, 1995, and 2002 Björn Gustafsson, Li Shi, Terry Sicular, and Yue Ximing
3. Growth and distribution of household income in China between 1995 and 2002 Azizur Rahman Khan and Carl Riskin
4. Explaining incomes and inequality in China Yue Ximing, Terry Sicular, Li Shi, and Björn Gustafsson
5. The distribution of wealth in China Zhao Renwei and Ding Sai
6. Growth, inequality, and poverty: a comparative study of China's experience in the periods before and after the Asian crisis Azizur Rahman Khan
7. What has economic transition meant for the well-being of the elderly in China? Edward Palmer and Deng Quheng
8. Inequality in financing China's health care Wei Zhong and Björn Gustafsson
9. China's emerging urban wage structure, 1995–2002 John Knight and Lina Song
10. Unemployment, earlier retirement and changes in the gender income gap in urban China, 1995–2002 Li Shi and Björn Gustafsson
11. What determines living arrangements of the elderly in urban China? Meng Xin and Luo Chuliang
12. The impact of village-specific factors on household income in rural China Hiroshi Sato
13. The redistributive impact of taxation in rural China, 1995–2002: an evaluation of rural taxation reform at the turn of the century Hiroshi Sato, Li Shi, and Yue Ximing
Appendix: the 1995 and 2002 household surveys: sampling methods and data description Li Shi, Luo Chuliang, Wei Zhong, and Yue Ximing
Index.

Subject Areas: International economics [KCL], Economics [KC], International relations [JPS], Political science & theory [JPA], Population & demography [JHBD], Sociology [JHB]