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Author/Editor:
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Mitali Das ; Papa M N'Diaye
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Publication Date:
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January 29, 2013
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Electronic Access:
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Free Full text
(PDF file size is 1,140KB).
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Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.
The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate
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Summary:
China is on the eve of a demographic shift that will have profound consequences on its economic and social landscape. Within a few years the working age population will reach a historical peak, and then begin a precipitous decline. This fact, along with anecdotes of rapidly rising migrant wages and episodic labor shortages, has raised questions about whether China is poised to cross the Lewis Turning Point, a point at which it would move from a vast supply of low-cost workers to a labor shortage economy. Crossing this threshold will have far-reaching implications for both China and the rest of the world. This paper empirically assesses when the transition to a labor shortage economy is likely to occur. Our central result is that on current trends, the Lewis Turning Point will emerge between 2020 and 2025. Alternative scenarios—with higher fertility, greater labor participation rates, financial reform or higher productivity—may peripherally delay or accelerate the onset of the turning point, but demographics will be the dominant force driving the depletion of surplus labor.
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Order a print copy
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Series:
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Working Paper No. 13/26
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Subject(s):
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Labor supply | China | Wage increases | Labor markets | Economic growth | Economic models
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English
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Publication Date:
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January 29, 2013
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ISBN/ISSN:
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9781475548242/1018-5941
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Format:
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Paper
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Stock No:
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WPIEA2013026
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Pages:
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21
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Price:
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US$18.00 )
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Please address any questions about this title to
publications@imf.org
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