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Growing out of Poverty: Trends and Patterns of Urban Poverty in China 1988–2002

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Listed:
  • Appleton, Simon

    () (University of Nottingham)

  • Song, Lina

    () (University of Nottingham)

  • Xia, Qingjie

    () (Peking University)

Abstract

This paper estimates trends in absolute poverty in urban China from 1988 to 2002 using the Chinese Household Income Project (CHIP) surveys. Poverty incidence curves are plotted, showing that poverty has fallen markedly during the period regardless of the exact location of the poverty line. Income inequality rose from 1988 to 1995 but has been fairly constant thereafter. Models of the determination of income and poverty reveal widening differentials by education, sex and party membership. Income from government anti-poverty programs has little impact on poverty, which has fallen almost entirely due to overall economic growth rather than redistribution.

Suggested Citation

  • Appleton, Simon & Song, Lina & Xia, Qingjie, 2008. "Growing out of Poverty: Trends and Patterns of Urban Poverty in China 1988–2002," IZA Discussion Papers 3459, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp3459
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Knight, John & Song, Lina, 1999. "The Rural-Urban Divide: Economic Disparities and Interactions in China," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198293309.
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    3. Meng, Xin & Gregory, Robert & Wang, Youjuan, 2005. "Poverty, inequality, and growth in urban China, 1986-2000," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 710-729, December.
    4. Knight, John & Song, Lina, 2006. "Towards a Labour Market in China," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199215553.
    5. Brandt, Loren & Holz, Carsten A, 2006. "Spatial Price Differences in China: Estimates and Implications," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 55(1), pages 43-86, October.
    6. Khan, Azizur Rahman & Riskin, Carl, 2001. "Inequality and Poverty in China in the Age of Globalization," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195136494.
    7. Appleton, Simon & Song, Lina & Xia, Qingjie, 2005. "Has China crossed the river? The evolution of wage structure in urban China during reform and retrenchment," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(4), pages 644-663, December.
    8. Ravallion, M., 1992. "Poverty Comparisons - A Guide to Concepts and Methods," Papers 88, World Bank - Living Standards Measurement.
    9. Fang, Cheng & Zhang, Xiaobo & Fan, Shenggen, 2002. "Emergence of urban poverty and inequality in China: evidence from household survey," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 430-443, December.
    10. Ravallion, Martin & Huppi, Monika, 1991. "Measuring Changes in Poverty: A Methodological Case Study of Indonesia during an Adjustment Period," World Bank Economic Review, World Bank Group, vol. 5(1), pages 57-82, January.
    11. Appleton, Simon & Knight, John & Song, Lina & Xia, Qingjie, 2002. "Labor retrenchment in China: Determinants and consequences," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 13(2-3), pages 252-275.
    12. Fulong Wu, 2004. "Urban poverty and marginalization under market transition: the case of Chinese cities," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 401-423, June.
    13. Simon Appleton, 1995. ""The rich are just like us, only richer." Poverty functions or consumption functions? Evidence from Uganda," CSAE Working Paper Series 1995-04, Centre for the Study of African Economies, University of Oxford.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhang, Chunni & Xu, Qi & Zhou, Xiang & Zhang, Xiaobo & Xie, Yu, 2014. "Are poverty rates underestimated in China? New evidence from four recent surveys," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 410-425.
    2. Shenggen Fan & Ravi Kanbur & Shang-Jin Wei & Xiaobo Zhang, 2013. "The Economics of China: Successes and Challenges," NBER Working Papers 19648, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Zhang, Chunni & Xu, Qi & Zhang, Xiaobo & Xie, Yu, 2013. "An evaluation of poverty prevalence in China: New evidence from four recent surveys:," IFPRI discussion papers 1293, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Begum, Syeda Shahanara & Deng, Quheng & Gustafsson, Björn, 2012. "Economic growth and child poverty reduction in Bangladesh and China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 73-85.
    5. Zhiming Cheng, 2014. "Layoffs and Urban Poverty in the State-Owned Enterprise Communities in Shaanxi Province, China," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 116(1), pages 199-233, March.
    6. Zhang, Yanlong & Zhou, Xiaoyu & Lei, Wei, 2017. "Social Capital and Its Contingent Value in Poverty Reduction: Evidence from Western China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 350-361.
    7. Quheng Deng & Bjorn Gustafsson, 2011. "A New Episode of Increased Urban Income Inequality in China," University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP) Working Papers 201116, University of Western Ontario, Centre for Human Capital and Productivity (CHCP).
    8. repec:spr:chinre:v:9:y:2016:i:4:d:10.1007_s12187-015-9351-1 is not listed on IDEAS

    More about this item

    Keywords

    China; inequality; economic growth; welfare; poverty; public policy;

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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