In contrast to the relative economic progress made in the international sphere, domestic income inequalities have increased in some Asian countries. Among the 30 countries with comparable Gini coefficients, income inequality has increased in recent decades in twelve countries, accounting for about 80 percent of their total population. In most of these countries, the top income group has increased its income share.
5 A recent survey concludes that when a deterioration of income equality occurs by benefiting mainly the rich, it undermines the poverty-reducing effects of economic growth.6 Unfortunately, poverty remains in Asia. There are a variety of possible explanations as to why Asian people in the bottom income group continue to live in poverty in spite of strong macroeconomic growth.