A Research on the Evaluation System and Determinants of Starting Point Fairness

Abstract

This article defines the connotation of starting point fairness, designs the evaluation indexes of starting point fairness, and puts forward the measure method of starting point fairness. Based on the panel data of 31 provinces from 1985 to 2017, the article conducts a statistical measure of starting point fairness and econometric analysis of the determinants of starting point fairness in China. The research results show that:(1) China's starting point fairness is relatively fair generally, showing an upward trend. Education equity and public health equity are very fair. Public infrastructure equity is quite fair. Public natural resources equity is relatively fair. Employment equity is relatively unfair. (2) Inequalities in education, employment, public health, public infrastructure and public natural resources have significant negative effects on the starting point fairness, vice versa. (3) Policy bias, urban-rural differences, and regional differences have significant negative effects on the starting point fairness. The relationship between opening-up and starting point fairness is a significant inverted U-type. Policy bias, urban-rural differences, regional differences and opening-up have further widened the negative effects of education inequality and employment inequality on the starting point fairness. The findings provide important policy implications. Keywords—starting point fairness; education equity; employment equity; evaluation system; determinants