Spatial Disparities and Economic Development in China, 1953-92: A Comparative Study
Simon Zhao Xiaobin
Simon Zhao Xiaobin: is assistant professor at the Department of Geography, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, having previously held positions at the Institute of Geography, Academia Sininca and The State Planning Commission, Beijing, China. His research interests focus on regional and urban studies, and economic development and reforms in mainland China. His recent publications include articles (in Chinese and English) in a number of journals, including Urban Studies (with L. Zhang, 1995); the Hong Kong Journal of Social Science (with L. Lee, 1995); Chinese Social Science Quarterly (with W. Kwan, 1994) and the Journal of Far Eastern Business (with S. P. Tong, forthcoming 1996).
Search for more papers by this authorSimon Zhao Xiaobin
Simon Zhao Xiaobin: is assistant professor at the Department of Geography, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon, Hong Kong, having previously held positions at the Institute of Geography, Academia Sininca and The State Planning Commission, Beijing, China. His research interests focus on regional and urban studies, and economic development and reforms in mainland China. His recent publications include articles (in Chinese and English) in a number of journals, including Urban Studies (with L. Zhang, 1995); the Hong Kong Journal of Social Science (with L. Lee, 1995); Chinese Social Science Quarterly (with W. Kwan, 1994) and the Journal of Far Eastern Business (with S. P. Tong, forthcoming 1996).
Search for more papers by this authorABSTRACT
It seems to be widely accepted that China's interior development during the Maoist period was based on ‘equality’ considerations, which narrowed Chinese regional disparities. By contrast, the recent coastal development during Deng's reform era has been coined as ‘uneven’ and ‘undesirable’, because it has created tremendous inequalities across the country. However, the findings of this study suggest that the question may not be that simple. This article examines the spatial disparities of economic development in China between 1953 and 1992, focusing on a time-series comparison between the development policies of Mao and Deng, their outcomes and the resulting changes. By using provincial and regional economic and investment data, the article elaborates why Mao's interior development did not lead to a more equitable outcome than Deng's uneven strategy of’ east coastal development’. The findings provide an insight into some of the unexpected outcomes of more than forty years of socialist development, in the realm of economic growth and disparity.
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