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Why has China’s Inequality of Household Wealth Risen Rapidly in the Twenty‐First Century?

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  • John Knight
  • Li Shi
  • Wan Haiyuan

Abstract

The inequality of wealth in China has increased rapidly in recent years. China presents a fascinating case study of how inequality of household wealth increases as economic reform takes place. Wealth inequality and its growth are measured and decomposed using data from two national sample surveys of the China Household Income Project (CHIP) relating to 2002 and 2013. The changing relationships between income and wealth are explored. An original attempt is made to explain the rising wealth inequality in terms of differential saving, differential house price inflation, income from wealth, and a growing urban‐rural wealth disparity. Income from wealth as conventionally measured makes a negligible contribution but becomes central when it is reformulated to include real capital gain as part of income. A series of counterfactual experiments are conducted in order to measure the contributions of the various factors to the rise in inequality. Wealth and wealth inequality increase most rapidly for those in the top wealth decile.

Suggested Citation

  • John Knight & Li Shi & Wan Haiyuan, 2022. "Why has China’s Inequality of Household Wealth Risen Rapidly in the Twenty‐First Century?," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 68(1), pages 109-138, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:revinw:v:68:y:2022:i:1:p:109-138
    DOI: 10.1111/roiw.12507
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Thomas Piketty & Li Yang & Gabriel Zucman, 2019. "Capital Accumulation, Private Property, and Rising Inequality in China, 1978–2015," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(7), pages 2469-2496, July.
    2. Davies, James B. & Sandstrom, Susanna & Shorrocks, Anthony & Wolff, Edward N., 2006. "The World Distribution of Household Wealth," Conference papers 331490, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    3. Li Gan & Zhichao Yin & Nan Jia & Shu Xu & Shuang Ma & Lu Zheng, 2014. "Data you need to know about China," Springer Books, Springer, edition 127, number 978-3-642-38151-5, January.
    4. Brandt, Loren & Holz, Carsten A, 2006. "Spatial Price Differences in China: Estimates and Implications," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 55(1), pages 43-86, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wan, Haiyuan & Gustafsson, Björn Anders & Wang, Yingfei, 2024. "Convergence of Inequality Dimensions in China: Income, Consumption, and Wealth from 1988 to 2018," IZA Discussion Papers 16719, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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