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Rural Household Income in China: Spatial-Temporal Disparity and Its Interpretation

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This paper investigates the spatial-temporal disparity evident in rural household incomes at the provincial level in China in the period 1978-2007. The research is introduced through a framework comprising the transitional processes of decentralization, marketization, urbanization, and globalization. The research uses Moran’s I index and the spatial regression model. Research results show a clear spatial-temporal disparity in rural household incomes in China in the post-reform era, whereby the eastern provinces possess higher rural household incomes in comparison to the lower rural household incomes of the inland provinces. This disparity is attributed to the joint influence of processes of marketization, urbanization, and globalization upon household incomes derived from the non-agricultural industries. Decentralization proves to be non-significant in explaining the disparity in rural household incomes across China, as a result of the agricultural income generated from the limited household land allocated to each rural household.

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  • Li, Yuheng, 2012. "Rural Household Income in China: Spatial-Temporal Disparity and Its Interpretation," Working Paper Series 2012-21, Stockholm School of Economics, China Economic Research Center.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:hacerc:2012-021
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    JEL classification:

    • N95 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - Asia including Middle East
    • O11 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Macroeconomic Analyses of Economic Development
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • R58 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Regional Development Planning and Policy

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