{
  "title": "Inequality in China – Trends, Drivers and Policy Remedies",
  "publication": "IMF Working Papers, June 5, 2018",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2018/06/05/inequality-in-china-trends-drivers-and-policy-remedies-45878",
  "canonical": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2018/06/05/inequality-in-china-trends-drivers-and-policy-remedies-45878",
  "overlayPath": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2018/06/05/inequality-in-china-trends-drivers-and-policy-remedies-45878/index.md",
  "summary": "China has experienced rapid economic growth over the past two decades and is on the brink of eradicating poverty. However, income inequality increased sharply from the early 1980s and rendered China among the most unequal countries in the world.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Summary and central findings",
      "content": "- China experienced rapid economic growth over the past two decades and is on the brink of eradicating poverty.\n- Income inequality increased sharply from the early 1980s and rendered China among the most unequal countries in the world.\n- Inequality has experienced a modest decline since 2008.\n- The paper identifies drivers of these trends, including structural changes and recent policy initiatives to combat inequality.\n- Policies will need to play an important role in curbing inequality in the future, as projected structural trends will put further strain on equity considerations.\n- Fiscal policy reforms have the potential to enhance inclusiveness and equity, both on the tax and expenditure side."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Drivers of inequality identified",
      "content": "- Structural changes such as urbanization and aging.\n- Policy initiatives implemented more recently to address inequality.\n- Interaction between rapid growth, structural transformation, and policy settings determining income distribution dynamics."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Policy implications and recommended areas for reform",
      "content": "- Fiscal policy reforms on both the tax side and the expenditure side are highlighted as having potential to enhance inclusiveness and equity.\n- Continued and targeted policy initiatives are implied as necessary because projected structural trends will exacerbate equity pressures."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Publication and document metadata",
      "content": "- Title: Inequality in China – Trends, Drivers and Policy Remedies\n- Authors: Sonali Jain-Chandra, Niny Khor, Rui Mano, Johanna Schauer, Philippe Wingender, Juzhong Zhuang\n- Date: June 5, 2018\n- Series: Working Paper No. 2018/127\n- Issue: 127\n- Volume: 2018\n- Pages: 31\n- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484357538.001\n- Stock No: WPIEA2018127\n- ISBN: 9781484357538\n- ISSN: 1018-5941\n- Subjects: Education, Fiscal policy, Income distribution, Income inequality, National accounts, Personal income\n- Keywords: China, fiscal policy, government policy, guarantee system, household income, Income distribution, income inequality, income share, inequality in China, market Gini coefficient, net Gini coefficient, per-capita income, Personal income, policy reform, Policy remedy, policy variable, poverty alleviation policy, Southeast Asia, structural change, WP\n\nIMF Working Paper — \"Inequality in China – Trends, Drivers and Policy Remedies\", Working Paper No. 2018/127 (June 5, 2018).\n\n---\n\n Content in this bundle\n\n- Inequality in China – Trends, Drivers and Policy Remedies, WP/18/127, June 2018\n  - Inequality in China – Trends, Drivers and Policy Remedies, WP/18/127, June 2018 (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n  - Inequality in China – Trends, Drivers and Policy Remedies, WP/18/127, June 2018 (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}\n\n---\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2018/06/05/inequality-in-china-trends-drivers-and-policy-remedies-45878"
    }
  ],
  "bullets": [
    "[Markdown version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2018/06/05/inequality-in-china-trends-drivers-and-policy-remedies-45878/index.md)",
    "[Structured JSON version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2018/06/05/inequality-in-china-trends-drivers-and-policy-remedies-45878/index.json)",
    "[Bundle manifest](/en/publications/wp/issues/2018/06/05/inequality-in-china-trends-drivers-and-policy-remedies-45878/bundle-manifest.json)",
    "Authors: Sonali Jain-Chandra, Niny Khor, Rui Mano, Johanna Schauer, Philippe Wingender, Juzhong Zhuang",
    "Published: June 5, 2018",
    "Series: IMF Working Papers",
    "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484357538.001",
    "China experienced rapid economic growth over the past two decades and is on the brink of eradicating poverty.",
    "Income inequality increased sharply from the early 1980s and rendered China among the most unequal countries in the world.",
    "Inequality has experienced a modest decline since 2008.",
    "The paper identifies drivers of these trends, including structural changes and recent policy initiatives to combat inequality.",
    "Policies will need to play an important role in curbing inequality in the future, as projected structural trends will put further strain on equity considerations.",
    "Fiscal policy reforms have the potential to enhance inclusiveness and equity, both on the tax and expenditure side.",
    "Structural changes such as urbanization and aging.",
    "Policy initiatives implemented more recently to address inequality.",
    "Interaction between rapid growth, structural transformation, and policy settings determining income distribution dynamics.",
    "Fiscal policy reforms on both the tax side and the expenditure side are highlighted as having potential to enhance inclusiveness and equity.",
    "Continued and targeted policy initiatives are implied as necessary because projected structural trends will exacerbate equity pressures.",
    "Title: Inequality in China – Trends, Drivers and Policy Remedies",
    "Authors: Sonali Jain-Chandra, Niny Khor, Rui Mano, Johanna Schauer, Philippe Wingender, Juzhong Zhuang",
    "Date: June 5, 2018",
    "Series: Working Paper No. 2018/127",
    "Issue: 127",
    "Volume: 2018",
    "Pages: 31",
    "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781484357538.001",
    "Stock No: WPIEA2018127",
    "ISBN: 9781484357538",
    "ISSN: 1018-5941",
    "Subjects: Education, Fiscal policy, Income distribution, Income inequality, National accounts, Personal income",
    "Keywords: China, fiscal policy, government policy, guarantee system, household income, Income distribution, income inequality, income share, inequality in China, market Gini coefficient, net Gini coefficient, per-capita income, Personal income, policy reform, Policy remedy, policy variable, poverty alleviation policy, Southeast Asia, structural change, WP",
    "**Inequality in China – Trends, Drivers and Policy Remedies, WP/18/127, June 2018**"
  ],
  "related": [
    {
      "title": "Inequality in China – Trends, Drivers and Policy Remedies, WP/18/127, June 2018",
      "role": "document",
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/-/media/files/publications/wp/2018/wp18127.pdf",
      "summary": {
        "path": "/-/media/files/publications/wp/2018/wp18127.pdf.md",
        "mime": "text/markdown"
      },
      "binary": {
        "path": "/-/media/files/publications/wp/2018/wp18127.pdf",
        "mime": "application/pdf"
      }
    }
  ],
  "alternates": {
    "markdown": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2018/06/05/inequality-in-china-trends-drivers-and-policy-remedies-45878/index.md",
    "json": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2018/06/05/inequality-in-china-trends-drivers-and-policy-remedies-45878/index.json",
    "bundleManifest": "/en/publications/wp/issues/2018/06/05/inequality-in-china-trends-drivers-and-policy-remedies-45878/bundle-manifest.json"
  },
  "generatedAtUtc": "2026-09-18T13:35:11.722Z"
}
