Abstract:

This paper argues that the middle class is not the same thing as a middle income group. We should analyze the size and structure of the middle class from the dimensions of income,occupation,and education. Based on data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) it was found in 2005,2010,and 2013 that the proportion of the middle-income group in China is relatively large,but the proportion of the real middle class is still small. The middle class is more and more concentrated in urban areas and the eastern region. The social structure gaps between urban and rural areas,and between the eastern,central,and western regions continue to widen. The development of the middle class in primary industries also encounters great obstacles. This paper argues that to strengthen the middle class,it is necessary to increase income,restructure industry and occupational structures,popularize education,promote the development of the middle class in rural areas,central regions,and western regions,and help migrant workers get into the middle class through the upgrading of skills and the encouragement of independent management.

Key words: middle income group, middle class, social structure