TY - JOUR
T1 - Public perceptions of income inequality in Hong Kong : trends, causes and implications
AU - WONG, Ka Ying, Timothy
AU - WAN, Po San, Shirley
AU - LAW, Wing Kin, Kenneth
PY - 2009/1/1
Y1 - 2009/1/1
N2 - This article examines the patterns and changes in public perceptions of domestic income inequality in Hong Kong in the past two decades and explains individual variations in these perceptions. It found that the perceived seriousness of income disparities had been persistently high, while the perceived unjustness of income disparities showed a fluctuating trend. Our findings lent partial support to the structural position thesis that the privileged groups are less likely than the underprivileged groups to consider existing income disparities to be serious and unjust. Nonetheless, the popular understanding of poverty is still biased towards 'individual' explanations, and this perhaps explains why the government is less willing to tackle the economic and political foundations of poverty in Hong Kong.
AB - This article examines the patterns and changes in public perceptions of domestic income inequality in Hong Kong in the past two decades and explains individual variations in these perceptions. It found that the perceived seriousness of income disparities had been persistently high, while the perceived unjustness of income disparities showed a fluctuating trend. Our findings lent partial support to the structural position thesis that the privileged groups are less likely than the underprivileged groups to consider existing income disparities to be serious and unjust. Nonetheless, the popular understanding of poverty is still biased towards 'individual' explanations, and this perhaps explains why the government is less willing to tackle the economic and political foundations of poverty in Hong Kong.
UR - http://commons.ln.edu.hk/sw_master/813
U2 - 10.1080/10670560903033950
DO - 10.1080/10670560903033950
M3 - Journal Article (refereed)
SN - 1067-0564
VL - 18
SP - 657
EP - 673
JO - Journal of Contermporary China
JF - Journal of Contermporary China
IS - 61
ER -