Despite the recent robust growth, there is concern that as China moves up the income ladder that its high level of inequality may be a breeding ground for future instability. We are interested in what the implications of the human capital gaps on the economy and political stability (wending) of one to two decades from now, if any. Are there lessons from the rest of the world—yesterday, today and tomorrow—that can help formulate policy solutions to potential barriers to rapid and sustained growth?
The conference "Will China Fall Into a Middle Income Trap? Growth, Inequality and Future Instability" held at Stanford University on December 6, 2011, sought to answer these questions.
This presentation was given by Gi-Wook Shin, Director of the Korean Studies Program at Stanford University and FSI Senior Fellow, in the second session of the third panel, Growth Through Resurrection: South Korea, at the conference.