Income Inequality in China. Development and Underlying Drivers

Thesis (M.A.) from the year 2019 in the subject Business economics - Economic Policy, grade: 1,7, University of Bayreuth, language: English, abstract: This thesis aims to shed light to the various characteristics and sources of income inequality in China and thereby demonstrate their interrelations on economic growth using a literature review approach and by examining the impact of differences in the propensity to save among various Chinese income groups. In the course of this, Chinäs current degree of income inequality is established, while identifying various forces and drivers behind these changes since the economic opening process initiated in 1978.

Since adoption of the open-market policy reforms in 1978, China has experienced rapid economic growth. At the same time, its level of income inequality turned from one of the world's most equal to one of the most unequal. During long periods of time China was the country that experienced the fastest increase in income inequality. This bags the question whether income inequality is in fact the causal reason for economic growth or the necessary outcome of it. In the wake of this, income inequality in China has developed into several dimensions of inequality drivers ranging from an extensive urban-rural inequality, cross-regional inequality, inequality of education or wealth inequalities.