Lewisian Turning Point in the Chinese Economy

In recent years there has been heated debate surrounding China's labour market, many economic commentators have argued that China has passed the 'Lewisian turning point' in its economic development as migrant workers have become scarce in coastal and urban area resulting in increased wage. This study challenges this assumption through presenting a close examination of the historical evolution in China's Labor market and empirically and theoretically analysing the changing structure of China's labor market in the context of the Lewisian turning point. The host of contributors offer a comprehensive study of the Labor market in China against the experiences of other East and South Asian countries, such as Japan, Korea, and Indonesia. This volume finds that surplus labour still exists in the rural areas of China, and in urban industries which face continuing shortages in labor. Its findings also reveal that income distribution in China has worsened due to the existence of surplus labour and the absence of institutional reforms. These conclusions have significant political implication as it could lead to social and political instability. Lewisian Turning Point in the Chinese Economy will be invaluable reading for researchers interested in the China and economic development.