Rising capitalism, emerging middle-classes and environmental perspectives in China: A Weberian approach

Abstract

This chapter addresses the recent growth of the Chinese middle class from a Weberian point of view. Starting from a re-appreciation of Weber's Confucianism study, a comprehensive framework for analyzing China's economic success is presented, including political, economic, cultural, and environmental aspects. According to Weber, ideas and interests have to be balanced against each other in social analysis. The actual and changing role of Confucian values in emerging political and economic institutions is discussed. The chapter assesses the size and composition of the Chinese middle class, and discusses the consequences for consumption and the environment. Although consumerism in China is still confined to a rather minor social segment, its actual growth rate leads to the conclusion that by 2020, China's consumer market will have reached the size of the one that most Western European countries display today. © Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2009.