Middle class develops slowly in China, scholar

时间：2007-05-11 06:12:40

（单词翻译:单击）

Chinanews, Beijing, May 10 – In reality, the middle class group has developed rather slowly in China. Most middle class members in China only exist in some economically prosperous regions, especially in big cities. It is really difficult to find people who can be categorized as the middle class group in places other than those places in China. Middle-income earners currently account for only a small proportion in society, said Sun Liping, a professor from the School of Sociology of Tsinghua University in his recent article published in the Economic Observer.

 

He said that a sociologist1, Lu Xueyi, once presumed that Chinese middle class group expanded at a rate of 1% every year. Based on this increasing rate, Lu predicted that in twenty years Chinese middle class would account for 40% of the total workforce2 in society. However, in Professor Sun's opinion, the current Chinese social structure shows that farmers still make up 42.9% of the total working population in society, while the middle class group accounts for only 20% of the total workforce. At present, Chinese society has not formed the spindle shape in which the middle class group dominates. Rather, low income class still constitutes the majority part in society.

 

Recently, the Economic Research Institute of the State Development and Reform Commission issued a report which sets standards for the middle class income level. According to these standards, people whose family income reaches 53,700-160,000 yuan, or people who make an annual income of 34,000-100,000 yuan, can be defined as the middle class group. Based on these standards, the report estimates that there are about 100 million people in China who can be categorized as the middle class group, accounting3 for 7% of the country's total population.

 

It should be noted4 that even among this tiny portion, a considerable number of people in the middle class group are public servants who work in government institutions. In a recent report, public servants are listed as the third most important source for the middle class group. In another report issued by the Chines Academy of Social Sciences, “Party officials” is ranked as the most important source for the middle class.

 

In order to expand the proportion of the middle class group in society, Sun said, it is necessary to try to avoid that the upper class in society takes too many of the resources, which will constrain5 the development of the middle class. At present, when China is taking measures to try to narrow down the gap between the rich and the poor, the state should particularly see to it that the middle class do not fall victim to this process. At the same time, we should also try to avoid that the middle class become the scapegoat6 in society's hatred7 against the rich, Sun noted.

 
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1 sociologist 2wSwo     
n.研究社会学的人，社会学家
参考例句：
  • His mother was a sociologist,researching socialism.他的母亲是个社会学家，研究社会主义。
  • Max Weber is a great and outstanding sociologist.马克斯·韦伯是一位伟大的、杰出的社会学家。
2 workforce workforce     
n.劳动大军，劳动力
参考例句：
  • A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
  • A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。
3 accounting nzSzsY     
n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表
参考例句：
  • A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
  • There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。
4 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的，知名的
参考例句：
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
5 constrain xpCzL     
vt.限制，约束；克制，抑制
参考例句：
  • She tried to constrain herself from a cough in class.上课时她竭力忍住不咳嗽。
  • The study will examine the factors which constrain local economic growth.这项研究将考查抑制当地经济发展的因素。
6 scapegoat 2DpyL     
n.替罪的羔羊，替人顶罪者；v.使…成为替罪羊
参考例句：
  • He has been made a scapegoat for the company's failures.他成了公司倒闭的替罪羊。
  • They ask me to join the party so that I'll be their scapegoat when trouble comes.他们想叫我入伙，出了乱子，好让我替他们垫背。
7 hatred T5Gyg     
n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨
参考例句：
  • He looked at me with hatred in his eyes.他以憎恨的眼光望着我。
  • The old man was seized with burning hatred for the fascists.老人对法西斯主义者充满了仇恨。

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