Research on the Social Stratification of Urban Society in China during the Late Qing and Early Republican Period (1897-1927)

Author: Li Mingwei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: In the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China, the social structure of Chinese cities underwent significant changes. New social groups emerged outside the traditional social structure, such as compradors, entrepreneurs, clerks, educators, freelancers, workers, and urban poor. Meanwhile, the status and roles of existing groups within the traditional social structure, such as officials, artisans, and merchants, also experienced substantial transformations. According to sociological conventions, this book categorizes the various urban groups in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China into eight strata: the official class, comprador class, entrepreneur class, urban intellectual class, urban middle-class, lower urban class, worker class, and poor class. It explores the concrete forms and characteristics of each urban stratum, presenting a vibrant and colorful portrayal of urban social life in China from 1897 to 1927.