Inequality in China is becoming more extreme
"By one standard measure, the Gini Index, inequality has increased by about one-fifth in India and China [since the 1980s]."
"And extreme wealth has become ever more extreme." In 2002, China only claimed one billionaire, but the "Last time Forbes added up the numbers, China clocked in with 115 [billionaires] -- more than Germany, France and Japan combined."
"Rapid growth in emerging markets largely explains why at least a half-billion fewer people live in poverty today than in the 1980s."
SOURCE: Passell, Peter, "Mind the Gap, Inequality is an increasing problem around the world. But there are cures," March 1, 2012. Foreign Policy. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/03/01/confronting_the_rise_of...
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"There has been much concern and public debate about the rise in income inequality in China. Income inequality in China has indeed increased significantly since the start of economic reforms a quarter century ago. Estimates from the national samples of the NBS Rural and Urban Household Surveys indicate that the Gini index of income inequality has risen from 30.9% in 1981 to 45.3% in 2003 (Figure 2.32)."
"And other measures of inequality, such as the Theil index and the ratio of mean incomes in the richest and poorest deciles of the population, confirm the overall trend reflected by the Gini."
SOURCE: The World Bank, March 2009, "From poor areas to poor people: China's evolving poverty reduction agenda," Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Department, East Asia and Pacific Region, World Bank. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/CHINAEXTN/Resources/318949-1239096143...
Passell, Peter, "Mind the Gap, Inequality is an increasing problem around the world. But there are cures," March 1, 2012. Foreign Policy. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/03/01/confronting_the_rise_of...
The World Bank, March 2009, "From poor areas to poor people: China's evolving poverty reduction agenda," Poverty Reduction and Economic Management Department, East Asia and Pacific Region, World Bank. http://siteresources.worldbank.org/CHINAEXTN/Resources/318949-1239096143...
[verified 4/17/14]