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Data for Studying Earnings, the Distribution of Household Income and Poverty in China

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  • Gustafsson, Björn Anders

    () (University of Gothenburg)

  • Li, Shi

    () (Beijing Normal University)

  • Sato, Hiroshi

    () (Hitotsubashi University)

Abstract

This paper discusses data used in publishing statistics on earnings, the distribution of household income and poverty in China by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) which is widely used by policy makers, international agencies and researchers. Unlike many other countries, China until recently had a dual system of household surveys - one rural and one urban. This has had consequences for providing official data on wages, income and poverty which we discuss along with other challenges. Since the end of the 1980s, researchers have been active in the construction of large databases aimed at mapping earnings, household income and poverty, and we present seven of these in the paper.

Suggested Citation

  • Gustafsson, Björn Anders & Li, Shi & Sato, Hiroshi, 2014. "Data for Studying Earnings, the Distribution of Household Income and Poverty in China," IZA Discussion Papers 8244, Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp8244
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    Cited by:

    1. repec:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:4:p:575-:d:95364 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Serhan Cevik & Carolina Correa-Caro, 2015. "Growing (Un)equal; Fiscal Policy and Income Inequality in China and BRIC+," IMF Working Papers 15/68, International Monetary Fund.
    3. Jolliffe,Dean Mitchell & Dang,Hai-Anh H. & Carletto,Calogero & Dang,Hai-Anh H. & Jolliffe,Dean Mitchell & Carletto,Calogero, 2017. "Data gaps, data incomparability, and data imputation : a review of poverty measurement methods for data-scarce environments," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8282, The World Bank.
    4. He Zhu & Tsunehiro OTSUKI, 2018. "Can Two Consecutive Generations’ Data Predict Longterm Intergenerational Transition? Evidence from China with three generations," OSIPP Discussion Paper 18E004, Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University.
    5. repec:spr:soinre:v:132:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1007_s11205-016-1387-1 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Yin, Dongxue & Liu, Wei & Zhai, Ningning & Wang, Yandong & Ren, Chengjie & Yang, Gaihe, 2017. "Regional differentiation of rural household biogas development and related driving factors in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 1008-1018.
    7. 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.
    8. Howell, Anthony, 2017. "Impacts of Migration and Remittances on Ethnic Income Inequality in Rural China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 200-211.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    China; data; poverty; inequality; income; earnings; National Bureau of Statistics;

    JEL classification:

    • C83 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Survey Methods; Sampling Methods
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • P36 - Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty

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