Revisiting the Middle-Class Myth: Evidence From A Cross-Country Analysis of African Social Progress

Reham Rizk and Ricardo Nogales ()

No 1139, Working Papers from Economic Research Forum

Abstract: We analyze the relationship between the expansion of middle class in 42 African countries and the social progress they made. We account for material and non-material aspects of progress instead of relying on GDP as the evaluative space, and assess their connection to four absolute measures of middle class. Using a panel dataset, we show that expanding developing and higher middle classes contributes greatly to material aspects of progress; less significant effects are found on non-material aspects. We find upper limits to the expansion of middle class, as structural characteristics may prevent these people to be effective catalysts of progress.

Pages: 27 pages
Date: 2017, Revised 2003
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Published by The Economic Research Forum (ERF)

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