文章对改革开放以来中国城镇居民收入差别变动过程中的"阶梯型"特征进行了研究。理论模型分析表明,劳动差别决定着城镇居民收入差别的基本走向,同时市场化体制改革措施的逐次推进,通过"制度诱发型"效率增进与收入差别的相互反馈效应在短期内会放大收入差别,然后政策的效果出现衰减,又引发了再一轮的改革,从而导致了收入差别扩大路径上的"阶梯型"特征。实证检验支持了理论模型的结论和前提。文章的政策含义是,制度变革过程中一定要注意市场化改革措施的收入差别效应及程度,防止单纯追求效率的增进而造成收入差别的拉大,有效而恰当的改革措施应充分考虑经济效率与收入差别的均衡关系。
This paper studies the echelon changes in income gap among ur- ban residents in China since its reform and opening up. The theoretical analysis shows that labor differences determine the trend in income gap among urban resi- dents and the gradual advance of market system reform leads to a widening income gap in the short term by an interaction of institution-driven efficiency improvement and income gap; the policy performance reduces, and another round of reform oc- curs, resulting in the echelon changes in income gap among urban residents. And the empirical study confirms the conclusions and premises of the theoretical model. This paper provides policy suggestions that we should pay attention to the effect of marketization reform on income gap in the process of institutional transition and effective and adequate reform measures should take full account of a balanced rela- tionship between economic efficiency and income gap.