Retaining a Concrete (Middle Class) in Post COVID-19 Era

Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, led to unprecedented challenges to both the lower and middle class that shacked their average income and created disruption in the efforts of eliminating absolute poverty in almost all the countries of the world. An increasing proportion of the world population is under threat of not having a majority of stable or what could be called a (concrete) middle class. This means many communities might not find a way out of the vulnerability condition or the risk of being poorer, and could suffer the consequences of unstable socioeconomic spillovers of the pandemic. In this paper, we review the status of the lower middle class and the requirements for a (concrete) middle class and see the types of capacity needed to ensure more communities prosperity. A framework is proposed for ensuring a more resilient middle class that would manage to stay away from the trap of poverty. This paper carries important implications for the future of communities and countries which are discussed in the conclusion of this study.