Rising Income and Wealth Inequality in China
Empirical Assessments and Theoretical Reflections
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12422904 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Simon X B Zhao (0000-0002-1191-9421, BNU-HKBU United International College, China), David Wai‐ho Wong (0000-0003-1971-839X, The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, corresponding author), Chenhan Shao (0009-0002-4202-2171, University of Louisiana at Lafayette), Shao Chen Han (University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the United States), Liu Kai Ming (The Institute of Contemporary Observation, China) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 33 |
| Issue | 147 |
| Pages | 544-559 |
| Publication date | 2023-01-26 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Contemporary China (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1067-0564 • E-ISSN: 1469-9400 |
| Publisher | Routledge (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10670564.2023.2172553 |
| OpenAlex | W4319790839 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
The lack of up-to-date data has hindered recent research on China’s income and wealth inequality. This article fills this void by bringing current official and private data sources looking at these inequalities. The authors further investigate the underlying structural and sectoral policies causing these disparities. They find that the top 1% income share roughly equals that of the bottom 50%. The personal wealth share going to the top 1% exceeds by 5 times the wealth going to the bottom 50%. Failures in redistributive policies have primarily caused these growing income and wealth gaps. Sectoral and national development policies favoring the real estate industry at the expense of the manufacturing industry have also resulted in large-scale wealth shifts, with Chinese households holding increasing housing assets and residential mortgages. This article shows that Piketty’s patrimonial capitalism not only applies to capitalist countries but also extends to China’s socialist market economy
Capitalism · China · Economic inequality · Economics · Estate · Inequality · Labour economics · Market economy · National wealth · Political science · Real estate · China's Socioeconomic Reforms and Governance · Finance
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |