Question

Write short notes Politics of Middle classes

Answer 1

At the beginning of the 2000s, the media, the intellectuals, and the ruling classes all pointed out that the Chinese middle class should give birth to so-called “political modernity,” that is, to further democratization. For the ruling classes, the middle class is a quiet At the beginning of the 2000s, the media, the intellectuals, and the ruling classes all pointed out that the Chinese middle class should give birth to so-called “political modernity,” that is, to further democratization. For the ruling classes, the middle class is a quiet class: demanding in terms of living standards but reasonable in terms of political change. However, a certain number of intellectuals and journalists expect more from the middle class. They hope it will compel the government to undertake more significant political reform. The analysis of recent social movements allows us to explore the reality of these expectations and deal with democratization in terms of the emergence of new technologies of domination.: demanding in terms of living standards but reasonable in terms of political change. However, a certain number of intellectuals and journalists expect more from the middle class. They hope it will compel the government to undertake more significant political reform. The analysis of recent social movements allows us to explore the reality of these expectations and deal with democratization in terms of the emergence of new technologies of domination.

Answer 2

HEY MATE HERE IS YOUR ANSWER..


Whether you follow developments in India closely or not, you have likely heard about the emergence of the “Indian middle class.” The private sector, especially large multinational corporations, view the emergence of a large pool of Indians with increasing disposable income as the most vital consumer market of the future. The McKinsey Global Institute (2007) refers to India’s expanding consumer market as the country’s “bird of gold,” a phrase merchants used thousands of years ago to describe its vast economic potential.

The growth of a middle class is expected to play a transformative role in modernising the Indian economy, create new pressure points on the government to tackle the vestiges of the licence raj, and enable a more propitious environment for private entrepreneurship and job creation (Fernandes 2006). And those who are frustrated with the corruption and cronyism that has characterised Indian politics for decades view the rise of the middle class as a force for positive change, a palliative to the twin vices of identity and patronage politics (Das 2012).

Despite these tall claims, the research on the middle class globally is quite divided on its social and political impact. On the one hand, one strand of the literature argues that the middle class can be a dynamic force for change (Lash and Urry 1987) while on the other hand, some scholars have argued that they can often be a powerful votary of the status quo and traditional social and economic structures (Erikson and Goldthorpe 1992).

For instance, while the middle class might desire a reduced role of the state in the economy and a corresponding greater role for the private sector, it also wants better safety and environmental standards across a diverse array of sectors which, ironically, bring the state back in—this time in its regulatory capacity. This is one reason why—as far as India is concerned—the “inspector raj” has replaced the “licence raj” (Chandra 2015, Indian Express 2016).

[…]

We asked a sample of Indians from across the country whether or not they would classify themselves as “middle class”…we argue that the notion of “middle class” can be understood as a cognitive identity with some degree of class-consciousness or feeling of belongingness. In turn, this cognition should result in certain distinct views about the world, compared to other social classes. For instance, if the middle class is supposed to be “aspirational,” then being middle class should result in greater optimism about the future.

To preview our findings, we find that almost half of all respondents we surveyed across India identified themselves as part of the middle class. While there is substantial variation across states, which is not altogether surprising, identification is stronger in urban areas when compared to rural ones.

[…]

The total sample size of this survey was 68,516 respondents across 24 states and union territories in India.

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