Lasting Political Stability Requires a Massive Middle-Income Stratum

Abstract

Today, the stratum of the rich on China's mainland probably consists first and foremost of private entrepreneurs whose property and income levels are indeed considerably higher than those of ordinary inhabitants. However, if seen from another angle, that is, in light of international comparison, China's so-called stratum of the rich has only a medium-income level internationally, and if compared with the rich nations, the average property and income of the above amount to no more than a lower-middle level. Over many years, we in China have become accustomed to poverty and some people have only started to become well-off and cannot be called truly wealthy as yet.