Unequal China

Unequal China

Author: Wanning Sun

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-05-07

Total Pages: 266

ISBN-13: 1136229973

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Economic development and a dramatic improvement in living standards in many parts of the People’s Republic of China during the past three decades of economic reforms have been hailed by the Chinese Communist Party and many commentators in the international arena as the most spectacular achievements in the history of humanity. However, three decades of economic reforms have also transformed China from one of the world’s most egalitarian societies into one of the most unequal. This book offers a comprehensive account of inequality in China from an interdisciplinary perspective. It both draws on, and speaks to, the existing body of literature that is generated mainly in the fields of economics and sociology, while extending its scope to also examine the political, social, moral and cultural dimensions of inequality. Each chapter addresses the question of inequality from a specific context of research, including housing, health care, social welfare, education, migration, land distribution, law, gender and sexuality. Moving beyond traditional socio-economic theories, the contributors to this volume explore a wide range of social, political, economic and cultural practices that result from, as well as further entrench, the inequalities in Chinese society. Importantly, the essays in Unequal China probe the hidden causes of inequality - namely, the role of state power and the importance of culture - and underline how both state power and cultural factors have a key part to play in legitimating inequality. With an innovative approach that moves beyond the economic and sociological roots of inequality in China, this volume is a welcome addition to what is a growing field of study, and will appeal to students and scholars interested in Chinese culture and society, Chinese politics and Asian social policy.


Reshaping Economic Geography in East Asia

Reshaping Economic Geography in East Asia

Author: Yukon Huang

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2008-10-15

Total Pages: 406

ISBN-13: 082137642X

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This companion volume to the 'World Development Report 2009' comprises twenty papers authored by noted Asian scholars. These studies highlight how, throughout East Asia, spatial considerations have influenced Government policies at the national, regional, and local levels. Key themes include how countries have dealt with: (1) agglomeration economies, urbanization, and regional disparities; (2) improving connectivity with infrastructure investments; and (3) eliminating barriers across and within countries to favor the movement of labor, goods and services. Achievements vary widely across countries: while some succeeded in enhancing competitiveness and improving social outcomes, others are experiencing increasing inequalities and failures to spur growth in disadvantaged areas. The book highlights many examples of how the new economic geography is reshaping development objectives: from initiatives to foster growth via enhanced agglomeration and improved local connectivity to the world economy, to special decentralization programs that channel resources to lagging regions. This volume will be of great interest to readers working in the areas of economic policy, poverty reduction and urban-rural development strategies, and transport-led infrastructure policy.


Inequality of Opportunity

Inequality of Opportunity

Author: Juan Gabriel Rodríguez

Publisher: Emerald Group Publishing

Published: 2011-10-12

Total Pages: 259

ISBN-13: 1780520344

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Eight papers, both theoretical and applied, on the concept of equality of opportunity which says that a society should guarantee its members equal access to advantage regardless of their circumstances, while holding them responsible for turning that access into actual advantage by the application of effort.


ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL POLICIES

ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL POLICIES

Author: JULIEN BOKILO

Publisher: American Academic Press

Published: 2021-12-13

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 1631815555

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Main idea: Contribution of transnational transfers in the construction of national social policies. Through the main idea of the book, we begin by defining the notion of decline, to identify consequences of the decline of political authority with regard to social problems, to better analyze the importance of the address of countries in development path towards international donors. In addition, we used Policy Transfer Studies (PTS) to show how the contributions of transnational transfers on the development of national social policies are considered as the lever for the integration of developing countries. But, in other words, these countries are considered as the places of fixation where interdependencies between public and private actors are consolidated, where rules of action are negotiated thanks to the agreements, conventions, which we have analyzed throughout, through two types of partnership, namely: bilateral and multilateral, through public-public, public-private, private-private (INGO-International Institution) partnerships. Finally, we carried out an evaluation, in order to subsequently identify some perspectives encouraged by transnational contributions on the social policies of developing countries.


Inequality in China – Trends, Drivers and Policy Remedies

Inequality in China – Trends, Drivers and Policy Remedies

Author: Ms.Sonali Jain-Chandra

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2018-06-05

Total Pages: 31

ISBN-13: 1484357531

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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. This trend has started to reverse as China has experienced a modest decline in inequality since 2008. This paper identifies various drivers behind these trends – including structural changes such as urbanization and aging and, more recently, policy initiatives to combat it. It finds that 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. In particular, fiscal policy reforms have the potential to enhance inclusiveness and equity, both on the tax and expenditure side.


One Country, Two Societies

One Country, Two Societies

Author: Martin K. Whyte

Publisher: Harvard University Press

Published: 2010-02-25

Total Pages: 462

ISBN-13: 9780674036307

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"A collection of essays that analyzes China's foremost social cleavage: the rural-urban gap. It examines the historical background of rural-urban relations; the size and trend in the income gap between rural and urban residents; aspects of inequality apart from income; and, experiences of discrimination, particularly among urban migrants." -- BOOK PUBLISHER WEBSITE.


Democracy Is a Good Thing

Democracy Is a Good Thing

Author: Yu Keping

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2009-11-01

Total Pages: 255

ISBN-13: 0815701675

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"Democracy is a good thing. This is true not only for individuals or certain officials but also for the entire nation and for all the people of China."–Yu Keping So begins "Democracy Is a Good Thing," an essay of great influence that has commanded attention and provoked discussion throughout the world. It is the touchstone of this important volume of the same name. As one of China's foremost political thinkers and a leading proponent of democratizing the People's Republic, Yu Keping is a major figure not only in his native land, but also in the international community. This book brings together much of his most important work and makes it readily accessible to readers in the West for the first time. "Democracy Is a Good Thing" created a stir internationally. Perhaps more important, however, is the heated debate it spurred within China on the desirability of democratic reform. That important essay appears here, along with several of Yu Keping's other influential works on politics, culture, and civil society. His topics include China's economic modernization, its institutional environment, and the cultural changes that have accompanied the nation's reforms. Democracy Is a Good Thing pulls back the curtain to reveal ongoing discourse in Chinese political and intellectual circles, discussions that will go a long way toward determining the future of the world's most populous nation.