Beneath the gloss of Asia's newfound prosperity lies an unsettling reality. Rising inequality has denied the benefits of Asia's economic growth to many millions of its citizens. The problem is worsening as the region's rich get richer much faster than the poor, who miss out on the income, education, and health care they need to lead fulfilling lives. In this issue's Special Report, Development Asia examines Asia's widening inequality from many different perspectives. We look at the role of globalization in producing inequality, and consider the disputed relationship between inequality and economic growth. Asia isn't the only region suffering from a wealth gap, but unlike others it has failed so far to narrow the divide. Most of its large economies have shown rising income inequality since the 1990s, and rural poverty is outpacing urban poverty across much of the continent. If left unchecked, the consequences of this trend could be dire.

Ann Quon
Publisher
Asian Development Bank

Read the full introduction.

Development Asia features development issues important to the Asia and Pacific region. It is published twice a year by the Asian Development Bank. The views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank. Use of the term "country" does not imply any judgment by the authors or the Asian Development Bank as to the legal or other status of any territorial entity.

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