Inequality in China – Authors’ workshop

Researchers are meeting at the Beijing Normal University to discuss their draft research papers covering the long-term evolution of income inequality and poverty, income and earnings distribution as well as the effects of redistributive policies in China.

The overall aim of the project is to increase knowledge on inequality and provide evidence-based information that is crucial for national decision-makers and the international development community to support their actions in effectively addressing challenges posed by inequality. The project is a platform for research and policy discussion in Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa on the dynamics of inequality.

Recognizing the limitations of both household surveys and anonymized tax-record data (where it is available) to generate a comprehensive and accurate picture of the entire income distribution in most of these countries on their own, the project comprises of two stages. The first stage focuses on collating, harmonizing and improving the data. While the second stage aims to analyse the determinants of distributional change within each of these countries. A major goal of the project is to establish data prerequisites and appropriate methodological frameworks that will be foundational in undertaking this kind of work in a broader range of countries.

The working papers being discussed in the workshop are published as part of the WIDER Working Paper series during 2017-18 and a book proposal featuring syntheses on the findings of the country components is planned. 

Programme