One in three Africans is now middle class, report finds

[alp227]

Source: The Guardian

One in three Africans is middle class, a rising group of consumers to rival those of China and India, researchers have found.

Record numbers of people in Africa own houses and cars, use mobile phones and the internet and send their children to private schools and foreign universities, according to the African Development Bank.

Mthuli Ncube, the bank's chief economist, said the findings should challenge long-held perceptions of Africa as a continent of famine, poverty and hopelessness.

"Hey you know what, the world please wake up, this is a phenomenon in Africa that we've not spent a lot of time thinking about," Ncube said. "There is a middle class that is driven by specific factors such as education and we should change our view and work with this group to create a new Africa and make sure Africa realises its full potential."

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2011/may/05/one-three-africans-middle-class

[tularetom]

1. How many Americans are middle class?

I mean today. I realize that by tomorrow there will be a million or so fewer of us.

[snooper2]

2. Depending on class model used

25% to 66% of households...

per wiki...


from poll-

A bit fewer than half of Americans count themselves as middle class --
but many of them aren't sure how long it will last: Among people who say they're in the middle class now, four in 10 also say they're struggling to remain there in this difficult economy.

per poll last year
http://abcnews.go.com/WN/abc-world-news-poll-us-middle-class-concerns/story?id=10088470

[Hissyspit]

4. "Depending on class model..." There's the rub. I'm going with a lower percentage.

One medical emergency or foreclosure away from devastation doesn't seem like middle class to me.

[kestrel91316]

3. I give us 10 years before Africa has a higher percentage of Middle Class than the US does.

It's a major goal of the RWers, but we are fighting them so it will take a little while for them to accomplish this particular mission.

[LetTimmySmoke]

5. And yet, as other posted have stated, our middle class continues to decline.

The Koch brothers need more sacrifice from YOU!

[Zorra]

6. globalist voodoo economic smileyface swill

"But the research found that poverty remains deeply entrenched, with 61% of Africa's population living on less than $2 a day. An estimated 21% earn only enough to spend $2 to $4 a day, leaving about 180 million people vulnerable to economic shocks that could knock them out of the new middle class"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/2011/may/05/one-three-africans-middle-class

[JI7]

7. China is getting in on this, they are making a lot of investments

in Africa.

[Mrs. Ted Nancy]

8. Middle class is defined as spending $2-$20 a day

In the article, middle class in Africa is defined as spending between $2-$20 a day.

Considering cost-of-living differences, how does this compare to the US?

[BOG PERSON]

9. cost-of-living differences are usually resolved by ridiculously low wages

in other words, one hour's labor time will buy much more here (no matter what you do - you could earn a living as a professional dog-walker for example) than it will in "africa"