China Social Science Review

No.2, 2023

Rethinking the Urban-Rural Income Gap

(Abstract)

Huang Zuhui and Mao Rui

As the relationship between urban and rural areas changes from a dichotomy to a harmonious integration, the income gap between the two areas generally shows a common pattern of inverted “U” shaped changes. The development of the urban-rural income gap in China has, on the one hand, followed the inverted “U” pattern, but on the other hand, it has also taken on new characteristics due to its complex institutional roots. With the changes in the urban-rural income gap in the 21st century, especially the increasing prominence of urban-rural problems in developing countries represented by China in the modernization process, it is necessary to deepen the theoretical study of the urban-rural income gap by taking into account the misplacement of resources between urban and rural areas, fully understanding the heterogeneity that exists between the areas, and basing on the comprehensive dimension of the urbanrural continuum.