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

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  • Reham Rizk

    (British University in Egypt)

  • Ricardo Nogales

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.

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  • Reham Rizk & Ricardo Nogales, 2017. "Revisiting the Middle-Class Myth: Evidence From A Cross-Country Analysis of African Social Progress," Working Papers 1139, Economic Research Forum, revised 09 2003.
    • Handle: RePEc:erg:wpaper:1139
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    References listed on IDEAS

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