Spatial aspects of Chinese development: Issues, outcomes and policies 1949–79

Despite wide initial spatial inequalities and a respectable rate of national economic growth since 1949, available evidence suggests that certain key spatial inequalities in China have narrowed. Progress has been uneven, however, and there is no simple correlation to be found between the pursuit of ‘Maoist’ regional policies and the narrowing of spatial inequalities that actually occurred. This points to the need to qualify the conclusion of many western scholars that Maoist policies actually succeeded in achieving rapid, sustainable growth while narrowing most differentials, including spatial differentials.