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Income Distribution in East Asian Developing Countries: recent trends

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  • Ragayah Haji Mat Zin

Abstract

This paper updates estimates of the trends in income distribution in the eight countries of the developing East and Southeast Asian region. In the last update by Krongkaew (1994), inequality was found to be increasing in the newly industrialising economies of Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, while in the ASEAN−4 (with the exception of Thailand) it was declining. Since then, the region has undergone the East Asian financial crisis of 1997–98. Recent data indicate that income distribution in Hong Kong and Taiwan continues to improve. Income inequality in South Korea declined until 1993 but began to increase slowly until the crisis sharply widened the disparity. The evidence for Singapore is mixed, with one set of estimates showing a dip in inequality while another indicates a widening of income disparity during the crisis. The crisis had the immediate impact of improving income distribution in all the ASEAN–4 countries, mainly because of reductions in the income shares of the top income groups. Later data show that inequality has since risen in all of them, except for Malaysia (for which no recent data are available).

Suggested Citation

  • Ragayah Haji Mat Zin, 2005. "Income Distribution in East Asian Developing Countries: recent trends," Asian-Pacific Economic Literature, The Crawford School, The Australian National University, vol. 19(2), pages 36-54, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:apacel:v:19:y:2005:i:2:p:36-54
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8411.2005.00167.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Jomo K.S., 2006. "Growth with Equity in East Asia?," Working Papers 33, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    2. O. Yul Kwon, 2010. "The Korean Economy in Transition," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 1956.
    3. Hal Hill, 2013. "Is there a Southeast Asian Development Model?," Departmental Working Papers 2013-19, The Australian National University, Arndt-Corden Department of Economics.
    4. ., 2010. "Income Distribution and Social Welfare Policy: Issues and Strategy," Chapters, in: The Korean Economy in Transition, chapter 12, Edward Elgar Publishing.

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