China's Booming Middle Class is Only Part of the Economic Story

China's Booming Middle Class is Only Part of the Economic Story

Top of Mind with Julie Rose

China’s Poor, Stickman, Hikikomori,Broken Heart Syndrome

Episode: China’s Poor, Stickman, Hikikomori,Broken Heart Syndrome

  • Nov 26, 2018 10:00 pm
  • 19:05 mins

Guest: Dorothy Solinger, Professor Emerita of Political Science, UC Irvine, Editor of “Polarized Cities: Portraits of Rich and Poor in Urban China” In the past twenty years, China’s middle class has swelled to more than ten times its original size. It’s the fastest growing middle class in the world. China is also churning out new millionaires faster than any other country on Earth. All of that wealth makes China a major global economic power. But there’s more to the story. Political scientist Dorothy Solinger has documented a widening wealth gap in China that is trapping millions of city-dwellers in poverty.