Is social class stratification obvious in contemporary China?

Question

Please indicate the source or remmend some readings, if possible. Thanks!

Answer 1

It is very obvious.  The ruling class is elite.  They have considerably more money and power (particularly power) than the poor.  You can also see the stratification in the put-down of the Tibetans (I won't go into that, CNN or any world news outlet has plenty).  Check out this book:

http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=3040...

It's a little outdated, but I think a lot of it is still relevant.

This is another great article:

http://www.jstor.org/pss/653336

You'll have to access it from a library or buy it, but you can read the first little bit.  Overall it is very good.

The CIA factbook also has some decent stuff, particularly about ethnic minorities:

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications...

Particularly:

8% below poverty threshold

note: 21.5 million rural population live below the official "absolute poverty" line (approximately $90 per year); and an additional 35.5 million rural population above that but below the official "low income" line (approximately $125 per year) (2006 est.) (from factbook)

and:

Household income or consumption by percentage share:

lowest 10%: 1.6%

highest 10%: 34.9% (2004)  (from factbook)

This should get you started!