Scott Hillis on China's wealth disparity; "it is now among those countries with the most unequal distribution in the world." I know a big gap makes for social instability, but in absolute terms, the poorest are doing better. In a recent report, the Bank of America said "per capita income in China's 600 poorest counties rose nearly 13 percent a year over the past seven years," and "The living standards of most people, including the poorest section of the population, have improved. A wide variety of poverty indexes have declined across the board and almost all income groups have enjoyed rising living standards."