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Mind the gaps: a political economy of the multiple dimensions of C hina's rural–urban divide
Author(s) -
Wang Xiaobing,
Piesse Jenifer,
Weaver Nick
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
asian‐pacific economic literature
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.232
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 1467-8411
pISSN - 0818-9935
DOI - 10.1111/apel.12026
Subject(s) - china , inequality , politics , consumption (sociology) , economic growth , public good , rural area , development economics , political science , economics , sociology , social science , law , mathematical analysis , mathematics , microeconomics
C hina's impressive growth has been accompanied by high inequality and a wide rural–urban divide. This paper identifies and examines some of the major dimensions of this divide: income, consumption, education, employment, health care, pensions, access to public services, and the environment. The paper attributes the main causes of the divide to C hina's urban‐biased development strategies and the resulting lack of social provision of public goods in rural areas. It also highlights the severe and multidimensional constraints on the C hinese peasantry and argues that increased equality and efficiency can now be pursued simultaneously.