Expansion of the middle class in Uzbekistan. Means of social mobility (2014)
Today in Uzbekistan, the middle class forms about 28–30% of the population. For the social and economic development of the country, by 2030 this proportion needs to double. Currently about 45–48% of the population can be considered a "middle-class reserve" – people who under certain conditions could become part of the middle class. To facilitate their transition into the middle stratum of society, institutions providing the means for social mobility are needed.
The concept of “middle class” is closely linked to social mobility – the movement of people up (or down) in the social hierarchy. Such movement takes place through social mobility channels, so-called social lifts – institutions that provide opportunities for people to improve their social status. Such institutions include education systems, political organizations, civil service, the labour market and entrepreneurship, service in the armed forces, professional sports and show business, and informal social networks.
The views expressed in this publication are those of the working group and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the Center for Economic Research.
