Chinese Journal of Sociology ›› 2019, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (2): 107-132.

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The Diverse Structure of China's Middle Class and Its Multidimensional Political Orientation

QIN Guangqiang, ZHANG Meiling   

  1. School of Ethnology and Sociology, Minzu University of China
  • Online:2019-03-20 Published:2019-03-20

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Abstract:

The middle class in contemporary China is not a class entity with uniform characteristics, but a social existence group form with multiple levels. Based on the two dimensions of system segmentation and market situation, this paper divides five basic types of middle class, and uses the 2015 Chinese Social Survey Data (CSS) to draw the multi-dimensional political orientation of the middle class from the five related dimensions of political attention, political efficiency, political trust, opinion expression, and collective action. The results show that the political orientation of the two middle classes in the system is obviously conservative and stable, they show a high awareness of the recognition and maintenance of the existing order, and there is basically no negative evaluation of the government and the intention to seek change; the new middle class outside the system is in a position of “high economic status” and “low political status” shows a radical political orientation, their political attention and sensitivity are high, but their sense of political efficiency and political trust are obviously low, and there is a markedly high level of collective action participation experience or willingness; while the marginal middle class and the “old” middle class present a complex duality of political radicalism and indifference, and this duality is largely divided by age, market opportunity and living conditions. The middle class outside the system constitutes a potential unstable factor. It should focus on the integration of the class, the integration of interests, and the smooth of the upward mobility channels to foster and strengthen the middle class, so that it can better play the role of the “stabilizer” of society.

Key words: political orientation, middle class, market situation, institutional division, pluralism