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In search of the elusive Chinese urban middle class: An exploratory analysis

Author

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  • Céline BONNEFOND
  • Matthieu CLEMENT
  • François COMBARNOUS
Abstract
This paper aims to identify and characterize the Chinese urban middle class. We propose to improve the description of the middle class using an innovative approach combining an economic approach (based on income) and a sociological approach (based on education and occupation). The empirical investigations conducted as part of this research are based on the China Health and Nutrition Survey (2009). First, we define the middle income class as households with an annual per capita income between 10,000 yuan and the 95th percentile. On this basis, approximately fifty percent of urban households may be said to belong to the middle class. Second, we use information on employment and education to characterize the heterogeneity of the middle income class. Using clustering methods, we identify four groups: (i) the elderly and the inactive middle class, mainly composed of pensioners; (ii) the old middle class, composed of self-employed workers; (iii) the marginal middle class, composed of skilled and unskilled workers; and (iv) the new middle class, composed of highly educated wage earners in the public sector. We show that the different groups have distinctive features based on variables such as housing and household appliances and equipment.

Suggested Citation

  • Céline BONNEFOND & Matthieu CLEMENT & François COMBARNOUS, 2013. "In search of the elusive Chinese urban middle class: An exploratory analysis," Cahiers du GREThA (2007-2019) 2013-19, Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA).
    • Handle: RePEc:grt:wpegrt:2013-19
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    Cited by:

    1. Priporas, Constantinos-Vasilios & Chen, Yan & Zhao, Shasha & Tan, Hui, 2020. "An exploratory study of the upper middle-class consumer attitudes towards counterfeiting in China," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    2. Levasseur, Pierre, 2015. "Causal effects of socioeconomic status on central adiposity risks: Evidence using panel data from urban Mexico," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 136, pages 165-174.
    3. Berrou, Jean-Philippe & Clément, Matthieu & Combarnous, François & Darbon, Dominique & Fauré, Yves-André, 2020. "Anatomy of the Brazilian middle class: identification, behaviours and expectations," Revista CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), April.
    4. Matthieu Clément & Céline Bonnefond, 2014. "Does social class affect nutrition knowledge and food preferences among Chinese urban adults?," Post-Print hal-02147996, HAL.
    5. Bonnefond, Céline & Clément, Matthieu, 2014. "Social class and body weight among Chinese urban adults: The role of the middle classes in the nutrition transition," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 22-29.
    6. Eric Rougier & Jean‐Philippe Berrou & Matthieu Clément & François Combarnous & Dominique Darbon, 2021. "Should we call it a (middle) class? A socio‐economic exploration of the Vietnamese middle‐income group," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(8), pages 1321-1345, November.
    7. Sébastien CARRERE & Matthieu CLEMENT & François COMBARNOUS & Gabriel KESSLER & Eric ROUGIER & Ariel WILKIS, 2022. "The middle class in Argentina: dynamics, characteristics and implications for public policies," Working Paper 83de5468-cd86-4702-a4a8-6, Agence française de développement.
    8. Jean-Philippe Berrou & Dominique Darbon & Christian Bouquet & Anne Bekelynck & Matthieu Clément & François Combarnous & Eric Rougier, 2018. "Le réveil des classes moyennes ivoiriennes ? Identification, caractérisation et implications pour les politiques publiques," Post-Print hal-02147840, HAL.
    9. Jean-Philippe BERROU & Dominique DARBON & Anne BEKELYNCK & Christian BOUQUET & Matthieu CLEMENT & François COMBARNOUS & Éric ROUGIER, 2018. "Le réveil des classes moyennes ivoiriennes ? Identification, caractérisation et implications pour les politiques publiques," Working Paper 6e6633ec-f96a-4f9f-a240-7, Agence française de développement.
    10. Clément, Matthieu & Rougier, Eric & Berrou, Jean-Philippe & Combarnous, François & Darbon, Dominique, 2022. "“What’s in the middle”: Scratching beneath the surface of the middle class(es) in Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire, Turkey and Vietnam," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    11. Matthieu Clément & Céline Bonnefond, 2014. "Does social class affect nutrition knowledge and food preferences among Chinese urban adults?," Post-Print hal-02147996, HAL.
    12. LEVASSEUR Pierre, 2015. "Causal effects of socioeconomic status on central adiposity: Evidence using panel data from urban Mexico," Cahiers du GREThA (2007-2019) 2015-09, Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA).
    13. François Combarnous & Jean-Philippe Berrou & Matthieu Clément & Dominique Darbon & Eric Rougier, 2019. "‘We Are the Middle Class’ The New Turkish Middle Class: Identification, Behaviors and Expectations," Post-Print halshs-02421481, HAL.
    14. Elodie ROSSI, 2023. "Child malnutrition in Nepal: Women’s empowerment or promotion of their socioeconomic status?," Bordeaux Economics Working Papers 2023-04, Bordeaux School of Economics (BSE).
    15. Céline Bonnefond & Tsiry Andrianampiarivo, 2021. "Les "classes moyennes" des pays en développement à l’épreuve de la crise COVID-19 : la Chine et Madagascar mis en perspective," Post-Print halshs-03344084, HAL.
    16. Matthieu Clement & Céline Bonnefond, 2015. "Does social class affect nutrition knowledge and food preferences among chinese urban adults?," Working papers of CATT hal-02949035, HAL.
    17. Matthieu Clement & Céline Bonnefond, 2015. "Does social class affect nutrition knowledge and food preferences among chinese urban adults?," Working Papers hal-02949035, HAL.
    18. Tsiry ANDRIANAMPIARIVO, 2014. "Moderate Prosperity, an adaptation of the Middle Class concept to a Malagasy rural area: the case of Itasy," Cahiers du GREThA (2007-2019) 2014-20, Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    social stratification; income distribution; middle class; urban China; clustering methods.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East
    • P25 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist and Transition Economies - - - Urban, Rural, and Regional Economics
    • P36 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Socialist Institutions and Their Transitions - - - Consumer Economics; Health; Education and Training; Welfare, Income, Wealth, and Poverty
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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