This paper investigates income inequality in the post-reform Chinese economy of 1978 to 2011. We identify a Kuznets inverted-U relationship between economic development and overall income inequality and provide evidence to suggest that this relationship was driven by the process of urbanization....

This paper develops a general equilibrium model to formalize Adam Smith's insight on the relationship between the division of labor, the emergence of money, and economic progress. The model demonstrates that the division of labor is the driving force behind the emergence of money, and the use of...

This paper develops a Ricardian model with transaction costs and endogenous and exogenous comparative advantages. It shows that the level of division of labour and trade increases as transaction conditions improve. It identifies the conditions for trade negotiations that result in zero tariff...

This paper argues that there is an important benefit from the division of labor that Adam Smith failed to mention, that is, the division of labor shortens the time required for capital formation and makes continuous roundabout production possible. The paper presents a simple model to demonstrate...

With the help of a simple model this paper formulates a hypothesis that a monetary expansion in the Chinese context of a segmented labor market has the effect of widening the wage gap between state and non-state workers. We argue that the reason for the increase in wage differential is that SOEs...

The Chinese government has been active in trying to cool the alleged bubbles in its housing markets, especially in urban areas. This paper argues that the high housing prices are at least partly caused by some real factors, including the policy of restricting land uses, in particular the...

Based on panel data of 1891 Chinese listed companies over the period 2008-2013, we find a positive correlation between the companies’ philanthropic giving and their ability to obtain bank loans in the subsequent year. This result suggests that corporate philanthropy can be usefully seen as an...

This paper studies the relationship between three measures of relative earnings and firm performance based on data of 664 listed manufacturing companies in China over the period 2005-2012. It finds that (1) capital earnings relative to labor earnings and the overall average wage level relative...