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Social Tensions in a Growing China
Author(s) -
Kakwani Nanak,
Li Shi,
Wang Xiaobing,
Wu Shanshan
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
the manchester school
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.361
H-Index - 42
eISSN - 1467-9957
pISSN - 1463-6786
DOI - 10.1111/manc.12250
Subject(s) - china , poverty , megacity , inequality , polarization (electrochemistry) , development economics , economics , economic geography , economic inequality , urbanization , demographic economics , economic growth , geography , economy , mathematical analysis , chemistry , mathematics , archaeology
In spite of fast growth and increasing average income levels, China’s development has been uneven across various sectors and regions. This uneven development has reduced the life satisfaction of many people and has caused social tensions. Using four rounds of the Chinese Household Income Project data, this paper investigates social tensions caused by inequality, poverty and polarization across rural and urban areas, and across the Eastern, Central and Western regions, and between the emerging super provinces/megacities and the rest. It shows that although tensions have been significantly alleviated by fast economic growth, the impact of growth imbalances is still very severe. China should focus on more balanced growth in addition to a high rate of growth.