SCMP Spotlight: middle class in China and US fear losing their status
Sep 22, 2023
auto_awesome
This podcast discusses the challenges faced by the middle class in China and the US, including stagnant wages, an aging population, and declining university enrollments. It explores the financial worries, job insecurity, and declining assets that middle-class individuals experience. The podcast also highlights the difficulties of achieving the American dream, the impact of COVID-19, and changing hiring criteria. Overall, it sheds light on the status and concerns of the middle class in both countries.
China's middle class faces challenges that hinder its growth, including an aging population and weak economic recovery.
The American middle class is also struggling with stagnant wages, declining university enrollments, and COVID-19 exacerbating financial hardships.
Deep dives
Challenges faced by China's middle class
China's middle class is facing challenges that may hinder its growth and prevent the country from breaking out of the middle-income trap. Policies aimed at private enterprises, an aging population, and a weak economic recovery are all contributing factors. The decline of the middle class poses difficulties for China's goal of becoming a developed country, as its GDP per capita still falls below that of wealthy nations like the US and Singapore.
Struggles of the American middle class
The American middle class is also facing difficulties, with stagnant wages, declining university enrollments, and a drop in income median. Economic pressures, supply chain disruptions, and changing hiring criteria are impacting the growth of the middle class. The financial hardships caused by COVID-19 have further affected lower and middle-income families, exacerbating the challenges they face.
The impact on individuals
Individuals in both China and the US are feeling the consequences. Graduates in the US struggle to find employment, leading some to start their own businesses. Meanwhile, Chinese professionals worry about job security and decreasing property values. Financial pressures are pushing individuals to rethink spending habits and make difficult choices to maintain their middle-class lifestyles.
China has seen a significant increase in the size and influence of its middle class, but an ageing population is set to hinder the nation’s growth. In the US, the size of the middle class fell from 61 per cent of the population in 1971 to 50 per cent in 2022 amid flat wage growth and a drop in university enrolments. This Post story was reported by Ralph Jennings and He Huifeng and narrated by James Aitken.
For the full text: https://sc.mp/sx1u
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode