{ "title": "Chart of the Week: Inequality in China", "publication": "IMF Blog, September 20, 2018", "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2018/09/20/chart-of-the-week-inequality-in-china", "canonical": "https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2018/09/20/chart-of-the-week-inequality-in-china", "overlayPath": "/en/blogs/articles/2018/09/20/chart-of-the-week-inequality-in-china/index.md", "summary": "Author: Sonali Jain-Chandra", "sections": [ { "heading": "Overview and key statistic", "content": "- Author: Sonali Jain-Chandra\n- Date: September 20, 2018\n- Caption: A gardener outside a luxury auto showroom in Beijing. China has moved from being moderately unequal in 1990 to being one of the world’s most unequal countries (photo: Stephen Shaver/UPI/Newscom)\n- The Gini coefficient has risen by 15 points since 1990 to 50. (A reading of zero would indicate that everyone has the same income, while a reading of 100 would mean that the richest person gets all the income.)" }, { "heading": "Main findings", "content": "- More than two decades of spectacular economic growth in China have raised incomes dramatically and lifted millions out of poverty.\n- Growth hasn’t benefited all segments of the population equally; China moved from being moderately unequal in 1990 to being one of the world’s most unequal countries.\n- Inequality has leveled off and even declined slightly since 2008, reflecting policy measures undertaken by the government.\n- Without additional policy changes, inequality is likely to rise further." }, { "heading": "Drivers of rising inequality", "content": "- Differences in education: Rapid technological change and industrialization have boosted demand, and therefore incomes, for highly skilled workers.\n- Urban–rural income differences: Educational attainment is lower in rural areas, and China’s hukou system of household registration limits migration to urban areas, where wages are higher." }, { "heading": "Policies China has implemented to limit inequality", "content": "- Raised the minimum wage.\n- Raised the minimum threshold for income taxes multiple times.\n- Abolished agricultural taxes.\n- Improved public services and social protection in the countryside." }, { "heading": "Policy recommendations and options to reduce future inequality", "content": "- Rely more on the personal income tax and less on regressive consumption taxes.\n- Make the design of personal income taxes and social security taxes more progressive.\n- Further increase spending on social services, especially in rural areas, to reduce inequality.\n\nChart of the Week: Inequality in China — IMF blog post by Sonali Jain-Chandra, September 20, 2018.\n\n---\n\n Content in this bundle\n\n- 本周图表：中国的不平等状况; IMF blog; 2018年9月20日\n - 本周图表：中国的不平等状况; IMF blog; 2018年9月20日 (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n - 本周图表：中国的不平等状况; IMF blog; 2018年9月20日 (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}\n- 今週のグラフ: 中国における格差:　ソナリ・ジェイン＝チャンドラ著、IMFブログ, 2018年9月20日\n - 今週のグラフ: 中国における格差:　ソナリ・ジェイン＝チャンドラ著、IMFブログ, 2018年9月20日 (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n - 今週のグラフ: 中国における格差:　ソナリ・ジェイン＝チャンドラ著、IMFブログ, 2018年9月20日 (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}\n\n---\n\n References\n\n- https://www.imf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/BLOG-1024x600-China-Gardner-outside-luxury-showroom-Shaver-UPI-Newscom-Chinaupiphotostwo335851.jpg\n- https://www.imf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/eng-august-30-china-inequality-3.png\n- Chart of the Week: China’s Thrift, and What to Do About It\n- China’s Economic Outlook in Six Charts\n- 5 Things You Need to Know About Inequality\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/blogs/articles/2018/09/20/chart-of-the-week-inequality-in-china" } ], "bullets": [ "[Markdown version](/en/blogs/articles/2018/09/20/chart-of-the-week-inequality-in-china/index.md)", "[Structured JSON version](/en/blogs/articles/2018/09/20/chart-of-the-week-inequality-in-china/index.json)", "[Bundle manifest](/en/blogs/articles/2018/09/20/chart-of-the-week-inequality-in-china/bundle-manifest.json)", "Authors: Sonali Jain-Chandra", "Published: September 20, 2018", "Author: Sonali Jain-Chandra", "Date: September 20, 2018", "Caption: A gardener outside a luxury auto showroom in Beijing. China has moved from being moderately unequal in 1990 to being one of the world’s most unequal countries (photo: Stephen Shaver/UPI/Newscom)", "The Gini coefficient has risen by 15 points since 1990 to 50. (A reading of zero would indicate that everyone has the same income, while a reading of 100 would mean that the richest person gets all the income.)", "More than two decades of spectacular economic growth in China have raised incomes dramatically and lifted millions out of poverty.", "Growth hasn’t benefited all segments of the population equally; China moved from being moderately unequal in 1990 to being one of the world’s most unequal countries.", "Inequality has leveled off and even declined slightly since 2008, reflecting policy measures undertaken by the government.", "Without additional policy changes, inequality is likely to rise further.", "Differences in education: Rapid technological change and industrialization have boosted demand, and therefore incomes, for highly skilled workers.", "Urban–rural income differences: Educational attainment is lower in rural areas, and China’s hukou system of household registration limits migration to urban areas, where wages are higher.", "Raised the minimum wage.", "Raised the minimum threshold for income taxes multiple times.", "Abolished agricultural taxes.", "Improved public services and social protection in the countryside.", "Rely more on the personal income tax and less on regressive consumption taxes.", "Make the design of personal income taxes and social security taxes more progressive.", "Further increase spending on social services, especially in rural areas, to reduce inequality.", "**本周图表：中国的不平等状况; IMF blog; 2018年9月20日**", "**今週のグラフ: 中国における格差:　ソナリ・ジェイン＝チャンドラ著、IMFブログ, 2018年9月20日**", "[https://www.imf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/BLOG-1024x600-China-Gardner-outside-luxury-showroom-Shaver-UPI-Newscom-Chinaupiphotostwo335851.jpg](https://www.imf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/BLOG-1024x600-China-Gardner-outside-luxury-showroom-Shaver-UPI-Newscom-Chinaupiphotostwo335851.jpg)", "[https://www.imf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/eng-august-30-china-inequality-3.png](https://www.imf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/eng-august-30-china-inequality-3.png)", "[Chart of the Week: China’s Thrift, and What to Do About It](https://blogs.imf.org/2018/02/26/chart-of-the-week-chinas-thrift-and-what-to-do-about-it/)", "[China’s Economic Outlook in Six Charts](https://www.imf.org/en/News/Articles/2018/07/25/na072618-chinas-economic-outlook-in-six-charts)", "[5 Things You Need to Know About Inequality](https://blogs.imf.org/2018/01/23/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-inequality/)" ], "related": [ { "title": "本周图表：中国的不平等状况; IMF blog; 2018年9月20日", "role": "document", "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/external/chinese/np/blog/2018/092018c.pdf", "summary": { "path": "/external/chinese/np/blog/2018/092018c.pdf.md", "mime": "text/markdown" }, "binary": { "path": "/external/chinese/np/blog/2018/092018c.pdf", "mime": "application/pdf" } }, { "title": "今週のグラフ: 中国における格差:　ソナリ・ジェイン＝チャンドラ著、IMFブログ, 2018年9月20日", "role": "document", "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/external/japanese/np/blog/2018/092018j.pdf", "summary": { "path": "/external/japanese/np/blog/2018/092018j.pdf.md", "mime": "text/markdown" }, "binary": { "path": "/external/japanese/np/blog/2018/092018j.pdf", "mime": "application/pdf" } } ], "alternates": { "markdown": "/en/blogs/articles/2018/09/20/chart-of-the-week-inequality-in-china/index.md", "json": "/en/blogs/articles/2018/09/20/chart-of-the-week-inequality-in-china/index.json", "bundleManifest": "/en/blogs/articles/2018/09/20/chart-of-the-week-inequality-in-china/bundle-manifest.json" }, "generatedAtUtc": "2026-08-28T22:22:32.300Z" }