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Should we call it a (middle) class? A socio‐economic exploration of the Vietnamese middle‐income group

Author

Listed:
  • Eric Rougier

    (GREThA - Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée - UB - Université de Bordeaux - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Jean‐philippe Berrou

    (GREThA - Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée - UB - Université de Bordeaux - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, LAM - Les Afriques dans le monde - IEP Bordeaux - Sciences Po Bordeaux - Institut d'études politiques de Bordeaux - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - Institut d'Études Politiques [IEP] - Bordeaux - UBM - Université Bordeaux Montaigne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Matthieu Clément

    (GREThA - Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée - UB - Université de Bordeaux - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • François Combarnous

    (GREThA - Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée - UB - Université de Bordeaux - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Dominique Darbon

    (LAM - Les Afriques dans le monde - IEP Bordeaux - Sciences Po Bordeaux - Institut d'études politiques de Bordeaux - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - Institut d'Études Politiques [IEP] - Bordeaux - UBM - Université Bordeaux Montaigne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

By combining household survey data on the economic and social characteristics of middle-income earners and primary survey data on their subjective perceptions, we show that the so-called Vietnamese ‘middle class' is strongly heterogeneous in terms of income, occupation and status and includes a large percentage of highly vulnerable households facing high individual risk not covered by social protection. Although marginally driven by public sector employment and formal private sector expansion, it shares common traits that might help consolidate class identification and could lead to more formally organised political influence if the political sphere becomes more open in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Eric Rougier & Jean‐philippe Berrou & Matthieu Clément & François Combarnous & Dominique Darbon, 2021. "Should we call it a (middle) class? A socio‐economic exploration of the Vietnamese middle‐income group," Post-Print hal-03594613, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03594613
    DOI: 10.1002/jid.3579
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