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Structural Change and Income Distribution: Accounting for Regional Inequality in the People’s Republic of China and Its Changes during 1952–2012

Author

Listed:
  • Wan, Guanghua

    (Asian Development Bank Institute)

  • Wang, Chen

    (Asian Development Bank Institute)

  • Zhang, Xun

    (Asian Development Bank Institute)

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between inequality and structural transformation by constructing a theoretical model, developing analytical frameworks, and implementing a case study. The general equilibrium model we develop demonstrates that inequality exhibits an inverted U shape as structural change proceeds from onset to completion. Our analytical frameworks enable decomposition of total inequality into sector contributions and a change in total inequality into a component attributable to structural transformation and the other component to concentration or spatial agglomeration. Applying the decomposition frameworks to data from the People’s Republic of China yield various interesting findings and more importantly confirms the inverted U shape as predicted by our theoretical model.

Suggested Citation

  • Wan, Guanghua & Wang, Chen & Zhang, Xun, 2016. "Structural Change and Income Distribution: Accounting for Regional Inequality in the People’s Republic of China and Its Changes during 1952–2012," ADBI Working Papers 608, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:ris:adbiwp:0608
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Guanghua Wan & Zhangyue Zhou, 2005. "Income Inequality in Rural China: Regression‐based Decomposition Using Household Data," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 9(1), pages 107-120, February.
    2. Guanghua Wan & Ming Lu & Zhao Chen, 2007. "Globalization And Regional Income Inequality: Empirical Evidence From Within China," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 53(1), pages 35-59, March.
    3. Dagum, Camilo, 1990. "On the relationship between income inequality measures and social welfare functions," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 43(1-2), pages 91-102.
    4. Dekle, Robert & Vandenbroucke, Guillaume, 2012. "A quantitative analysis of China's structural transformation," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 119-135.
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    6. Gustafsson,Björn A. & Shi,Li & Sicular,Terry (ed.), 2010. "Inequality and Public Policy in China," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521159050.
    7. Echevarria, Cristina, 1997. "Changes in Sectoral Composition Associated with Economic Growth," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 38(2), pages 431-452, May.
    8. Iris Claus & Les Oxley & Chen Wang & Guanghua Wan & Dan Yang, 2014. "Income Inequality In The People'S Republic Of China: Trends, Determinants, And Proposed Remedies," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 686-708, September.
    9. Shenggen Fan & Xiaobo Zhang & Sherman Robinson, 2003. "Structural Change and Economic Growth in China," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(3), pages 360-377, August.
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    11. Douglas Gollin & Stephen Parente & Richard Rogerson, 2002. "The Role of Agriculture in Development," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(2), pages 160-164, May.
    12. Anthony Shorrocks & Guanghua Wan, 2005. "Spatial decomposition of inequality," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 5(1), pages 59-81, January.
    13. John Laitner, 2000. "Structural Change and Economic Growth," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 67(3), pages 545-561.
    14. Silber, Jacques, 1989. "Factor Components, Population Subgroups and the Computation of the Gini Index of Inequality," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 71(1), pages 107-115, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ibrahim Mohamed Ali Ali, 2023. "Income inequality, economic growth, and structural changes in Egypt: new insights from quantile cointegration approach," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 379-407, February.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Structural transformation; structural change; income distribution; income inequality; inequality decomposition; spatial agglomeration; macroeconomics; China; 不均等; 收入分配; 结构变化;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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