Income Distribution and Growth in East Asia

Abstract

It is widely believed that the East Asian economies performed exceptionally well not only in generating growth but also in keeping inequality low. This study tries to answer the questions raised by the claims of exceptionality of income distribution in East Asia. Central findings are that only Japan, Korea and Taiwan have legitimate claims to low inequality; that the East Asian economies distinguished themselves by their ability to translate high profit shares into high savings and investment rates; and that low inequality and high profit shares coexisted primarily due to the unusually even distribution of wealth.