The Iron Rice Bowl: Chinese Living Standards 1952-1978

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2017

Publication Title

Comparative Economic Studies

Publisher

Palgrave Macmillan Ltd.

Volume

59

Issue

3

First page number:

261

Last page number:

310

Abstract

We examine the evolution of Chinese living standards, as measured by household consumption, for the first three decades of communist rule. We find only a slow improvement. Certainly, the Chinese were better clothed; more urbanized and had more household goods after 1949. On the other hand, consumption of food and housing stagnated. We find that overall consumption per capita did not surpass the 1930's until the late 1960's. We also compare the Chinese record under Mao Zedong to other economies. As it turns out, Chinese living standards improved at a slower rate than elsewhere. © 2017 Association for Comparative Economic Studies. All rights reserved.

Language

english

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