Latin American Middle Class. Research

With the combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis as well as historicaland comparative analysis, this dissertation takes a systemic investigation into thehistorical evolution and vulnerabilities of Latin America's middle class throughout1980s and1990s, laying emphasis on the policy-oriented origins of thesevulnerabilities. The paper concludes that the growth of Latin America's middle classdepends on the individual endeavor as well as the greater role of social policies. Thechapters read as follows:The first chapter discusses the definition of middle class and presents the definitionavailable to Latin America.The next chapter examines the formation and development of Latin America'smiddle class. With the overview of evolution of middle class in different periods, sixkeys to the rapid growth of middle class are considered, i.e. international immigration,development of public education, industrialization, urbanization and expansion ofpublic sector.The third chapter presents the vulnerabilities confronting the middle class acrossthe region. As the consequence of structural adjustment and the subsequent neoliberalreform, the middle class suffered from a series of challenges from the early1980suntil the early2000s, such as new poor, unemployment, spurious mobility, anxietyand insecurity, as well as the consequential emigration wave of middle class.In the following, the origins of the vulnerabilities are well analysed from theperspective of social policy. It turns out that social policy deficit or failure contributesto the decline of Latin America's middle class, well represented in greater incomeinequality, regression of tax and public expenditure, educational immobility andweakening of social security system.The final part centers on the future of Latin America's middle class. Above all, itrecognizes the policy is decisive for the consolidation and sustainable development ofLatin America's middle class. Consequently, decision-makers should transformpro-rich neo-liberal reform through1980-90s and pro-poor growth in the first decadeof21century into an open and inclusive middle-class growth in the future.