The emergence of China's middle class: Social mobility in a rapidly urbanizing economy

• China's middle class possesses different consumption and occupation patterns from its counterpart in the West.
• Rapid urbanization is improving social mobility, creating opportunities for people in lower social classes.
• Ascribed factors, e.g. hukou status, are diminishing in importance for determining upward social mobility.

The emerging middle class in Asian countries has attracted increasing scholarly interest because of its potential contribution to the global economy. The existing literature has revealed the unique characteristics of the Asian middle class compared to that of Western countries, and differences have been largely attributed to the compressed industrialization and rapid urbanization experienced in Asian countries. However a close examination on China's middle class at the individual level has yet to be seen. Using micro-data from two series of household surveys, this article first presents a comprehensive profile of China's emerging middle class. A binary logistic regression model was calibrated to investigate how an individual's middle class status was attained and impacted by his/her ascribed and achieved factors. The findings show that China's middle class possesses different consumption and occupation patterns from its counterpart in the West, and is not as reliant on government policies in attaining its status as has been documented in previous research. We argue that the rapid urbanization is generating agglomeration economies and improving social mobility, creating massive opportunities for people in lower social classes in China. Ascribed factors, for example parental achievements and hukou status, are thus gradually diminishing in importance for determining upward social mobility in China.