India’s middle

classes in
contemporary India
Leela Fernandes
 CONTENTS
Topics Presented by
1.Introduction
2.Defining India’s middle Riya Chakrabarty
class
3.The post liberalization Divya Sharma &
middle class Divya Jain
4.The politics of India’s
middle classes in Riya kumari
contemporary India
5.Future directions for the
Divya Jain
study of middle classes
 Introduction
Middle class , in recent years, have emerged as a central
socio-economic and political force in contemporary
Indian.
Market research firms have considered the middle class
as a lucrative consumer groups whereas political leaders
potrays it as the face of India’s Economic potential.
India’s Middle class is characterised by internal
variations on factors like caste , religion , region , etc.
 Introduction
This chapter delves into the intricacies and paradoxes
that gives rise to India’s middle classes , emphasising the
contradictory correlation between political assertions of
a single middle class along with different social groups
that span from upper class English urban elites to lower
middle class individuals striving to preserve their socio
economic standing.
 Defining India’s
Middle Class
This section presents the historical context and
theoretical problems that shape contemporary debates
on India’s middle class.
Marxian and neo Marxian theoretical works frequently
ignores the middle class ,whereas Weberian notions
emphasize income and status stratification.
Post colonial theories have assimilated the middle class
into bourgeois or elite social groups.
 Defining India’s
Middle Class
The historical ramifications of colonialism have made
comprehending India’s Middle classes even more difficult.
Middle class claims of moral and cultural superiority
intertwined with emerging forms of politics .
They claim to represent the nation’s public interests
through their language and education but their politics of
difference and exclusion are rooted in socially segregated
urban civic order.
 The Post Liberalization
Middle Class
Shift in Discourse:
Politicians, media, businesses, and advertisers started focusing on the
transformation of India's middle class after economic reforms in the
1990s.
Substantial Changes:
Economic reforms were linked to a newfound prosperity for the middle
class, largely due to embracing globalization.
This prosperity came through well-paid jobs in sectors like information
technology and increased access to various consumer goods.
 Freedom from Old Constraints:
Media discussions highlighted a new middle class breaking away from
previous limitations.
There was a departure from older ideologies and moral norms of state
dependency (Nehruvian socialism) and austerity (Gandhian principles).
Rhetoric of Liberation:
Media narratives were filled with the idea of a liberated middle class, now
enjoying economic freedom and the ability to consume more freely.
Debate on Middle Class Size:
There have been extensive discussions and debates in both public and
academic spheres regarding the size of India's middle class.
Initial Inflated Figures:
During the early years of reforms in the 1990s, leaders in politics and
business, along with mainstream media, presented exaggerated estimations
of a vast middle-class consumer market, ranging from 100–300 million
people.
 Discrepancies in Expectations:
The anticipation of mass consumerism among these middle classes
didn't materialize as expected, leading to a reduction in the hype
surrounding these inflated figures.
Continued Focus on Size:
Despite the initial overestimations, discussions about the size of India's
middle class persist and significantly influence perceptions even today.
Research and Projections:
Research organizations such as the McKinsey Global Institute and the
National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) continue
estimating the size of India's middle class, predicting substantial
growth.
For instance, the NCAER estimated the middle class at 160 million
individuals presently and projected it to rise to 267 million by 2015–
2016 and further to 547 million by 2025–2026.
 Estimating the Middle Class:
Efforts to define India's middle class focus on income and consumption
patterns, especially after the country's market opened up, leading to
increased consumption levels.
New Middle-Class Identity:
Media and public discussions have constructed a 'new middle-class' identity
linked to modern consumption practices, lifestyles, and job status in the new
economy.
Data on Consumption Patterns:
Ownership of consumer goods like mobile phones (53.2% of households) and
televisions (47.2% of households) has increased but doesn't necessarily
reflect Western consumerism.
Car ownership remains relatively low (4.7% of households) but has shown
some increase from earlier figures.
 Complexity in Interpretation:
Household income and asset data lack details about family structure, indebtedness,
generational wealth, or poverty.
Differences exist between upper-middle class and lower-middle class consumption
habits, from brand-related consumerism to strategic purchases for status markers.
Influence of Data Collectors:
Data from market-driven firms like NCAER shapes perceptions of middle-class identities
by associating income-based groups with aspirational middle-class identities.
Middle-Class Identity Complexity:
The middle class is characterized by ambiguity: it promises upward mobility but also
practices exclusionary politics, distinguishing itself from both the very rich and the poor.
This class identity is shaped by a sense of uncertainty and fluidity, defined not just by
income but also by lifestyle, cultural claims, and distinctions within the class itself.
Politics of Classification:
Segments within the middle class attempt to define and redraw boundaries, leading to a
sense of uncertainty and fluidity that cannot be simply measured by income or
consumption.
 Identification of Middle-Class: The new middle-class identity is closely tied to
1. the private sector, especially in rapidly growing sectors like services and
information technology, as well as in multinational companies.

Beneficiaries of Liberalization: While the rhetoric focused on a broad middle class,

2. in practice, the upper tiers of the English-educated urban middle classes have
benefited the most from liberalization and new economy jobs.

Shift in Employment: The newness of this middle class is attributed to a shift from
3. well-paid and secure employment in the public sector to highly paid jobs in the
new economy sector.

Consumer Goods Consumption: Some segments of the middle class,

particularly the English-educated urban middle classes, have significantly
4.
benefited from liberalization, enjoying increased private sector salaries and
participating in the consumption of newly available consumer goods.
 Complex Implications of Economic Liberalization: The effects of India's economic liberalization policies
1. on the broader middle classes are described as complex and varied. Members of the middle class have
adopted individual strategies to benefit from the new economy sectors.

Accumulation of Social and Cultural Capital: Individuals pursue various forms of social and cultural
2. capital, including gaining computer skills, English training, and knowledge about cultural styles, as well
as acquiring credentials like MBAs.

Urban Middle-Class Youth: Urban middle-class youth have gained access to disposable income through
3. employment in the services sectors and call center jobs.

Limitations of Individual Strategies: While individual strategies have brought some benefits, they
4. haven't necessarily led to structural access for broader segments of the middle classes.

Inequalities of Caste and Religion: Access to new economy jobs is influenced by historical inequalities
5. of caste and religion, with research highlighting restrictions to upper-caste Hindus in certain industries.

Muslim Community Marginalization: Muslims in India face growing political and economic
marginalization, despite being a significant portion of the urban population. Dalits and Muslims use
6. strategies like education to access middle-class status, but they often experience long-term
unemployment. While education provides socio-cultural status, it doesn't necessarily translate into
economic access to employment for marginalized communities.
 Misconception about Asset Ownership: The actual growth of asset ownership has led to
1. misconceptions, where public discourses and academic scholarship mistakenly conflate the middle
classes with elites or the upper tiers of English-speaking urban middle classes.

Challenges for New Entrants: New entrants to middle-class status, including Dalits, face challenges in
2.
gaining access to employment and struggle with both the stability and meaning of middle-class status.

Struggles in Rural and Middle Classes: Larger sections of rural and middle classes, despite being more
3. economically stable, struggle with preserving their status amid socio-economic competition, job and
education challenges, and basic economic pressures such as inflation.

Impact of Inflation: A survey by the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry in major
4. metropolitan cities reveals that middle-income groups faced a decline in household savings by 40%
between 2010 to 2013 due to inflation, rising costs in fuel, health, and education.

General Decline in Consumption: The survey indicates a general decline in consumption for middle-
5.
class families, with lower-middle-class families experiencing a decline in basic food consumption.
 Discrepancies in Middle-Class Life: Discrepancies between the promise of middle-class wealth and
1. status and the material inequalities in middle-class life have influenced the political behavior of the
middle classes.

Historical Engagement in Politics: The Indian middle classes historically engaged in politics to
2. differentiate their socio-cultural identity from subaltern social groups, and this dynamic continues in
the contemporary period.

Upper Tiers' Political Backlash: The upper tiers of the middle classes often engage in a politics of
3.
backlash against state policies, such as caste-based reservations.

Rise of Movements: Movements like the Hindu nationalist movement and the Bharatiya Janata Party
4. have, in part, risen due to urban-middle-class backlash against a Congress government perceived as
favoring Dalits and Muslims.

Central Role in Shaping Trends: The politics of India's middle classes play a central role in shaping
5
contemporary trends in India, influencing both the social group itself and broader political dynamics.

Analysis for Deeper Understanding: An analysis of the politicization of India's middle classes provides
6. a deeper understanding of this social group and sheds light on central factors shaping contemporary
political trends in India.
The politics of India's middle classes in
contemporary India
The politics of India's middle classes play a central role in
shaping some central trends in contemporary India.

In contemporary India,a distinctive form of middle class

politics is characterized by a growing sense of middle class
resentment against the state governance and institutions
that middle classes perceive as failing to represent their
interests.
Here are some examples of middle class resentment :-

Anna Hazare's high profile anti-corruption movement

capitalized on middle class frustration with political corruption
by invoking a historical middle class self -identification as a
social group that seeks to occupy a pure, apolitical realm.
Hazare's anti corruption rhetoric thus captured a real sense of
middle class dissatisfaction and located his oppositional
tactics on a long side middle class antipathy towards
democratic government institutions.
 Second example of middle class resentment was illustrated in
the mobilization against the brutal delhi gang rape of a middle
class women.while women's organization participated actively
in the protest and focus on question of violence against women.
Thus the rhetorical strategies of the protest is intersected with
the underlying pattern of more generalized middle class
frustration with failures of governance.
Such political dynamics reflect an underlying paradox that
shaped the relationship between the middle class and Indian
state.On the one hand Indian middle classes historically by
dependent on state policies. On the other hand large segments
of India's middle class have increasingly driven by perception of
a state that primarily caters to lower castes and classes.
The 2014 election in India provide a central example of the
political Complexities of India's middle classe.
In addition, Those who have risen from thr category of poor
and are yet to stabilize in the middle class, the' Neo-middle
class.'
This class needs proactive hand holding,their aspirations
have increased.they want amenities and service of a certain
standard.thus, they now feel that government facilities and
services are not upto the mark,and resort to the private
sector for things like education,health,and transport.
As more and more people move into this category , their
expectations for better public services have to be met.

The Manifesto and the Neo middle class wove together the
economic fragility of large sections of middle classes with
both a post liberalization aspirational identity as well as the
historical reliance of middle class for state support. Thus the
manifesto turned to a call for strengthening the public sector.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR THE STUDY OF MIDDLE CLASSES
Rising Interest in India's Middle Classes: Recent years have witnessed a notable
increase in both scholarly and public interest in understanding India's middle
classes. Prior academic research on the middle classes was predominantly limited
to historical studies, focusing on middle-class public activities during the colonial
and nationalist periods.
Diversity of the Middle Classes: Due to the diversity within the middle classes, a
comprehensive understanding requires more than individual studies of specific
segments. It involves analyzing the tension between dominant narratives and
internal differentiation. The chapter argues that India's middle classes cannot be
reduced to a problem of measurement or simplified narratives about
consumerism and elitism.
Political Force in Ambiguity: The political force of the middle classes lies in the
ambiguous nature that promises access and aspiration for new entrants while
being entangled in politics of inequality and exclusion.