China Middle Class Survey

Author: Chen Guanren
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: The middle class is a new stratum in today's Chinese society and will become the mainstream population of the upcoming moderately prosperous society. So, what exactly are the middle class? How did they become middle class? How is their formation and development shaping or will shape the changes and impacts on our society and lives? The term "middle class" was once a source of apprehension but has now become an alluring topic. It is linked to international buzzwords like SOHU, CEO, CBD, and TOWNHOUSE, and forms a trendy lifestyle landscape with refined pursuits such as white-collar workers, golden-collar workers, luxury homes, cars, and designer fashion. It represents a fashion, a way of life, a symbol of affluence, and a synonym for high taste. The struggles and lifestyles of the middle class, along with the opportunities and challenges they face, reflect our society and our individual futures. In the grand journey of reform and opening up and the march toward modernization, China's middle class has emerged as a new social group, visibly appearing. The 16th National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly proposed expanding the proportion of the middle-income group, undoubtedly encouraging the growth and development of the middle-class ranks. However, the achievement of a moderately prosperous society in an all-round sense means that the majority of people will enter the middle class, stepping into an era of prosperity and civilization. This requires a majority of the population to become middle class. Therefore, China's middle class will develop rapidly, and the dream of most people becoming middle class will no longer be distant. Yet, entering the middle-class society requires efforts and struggles from the national, individual, policy, action, technological, objective, and subjective levels. To this end, we have organized a group of renowned domestic experts and scholars who, after repeated investigations and interviews, conducted analysis and research over more than six months, ultimately completed the book China's Middle Class Survey, hoping to advance China's entry into the middle-class society.