Regional survey exposes Middle Class concerns in Mena
In the developed world the middle class often acts as a catalyst but this seems not to be happening in the Middle East.A poll by research company Booz and Co trys to find out why.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Regional-survey...
An over dependence on the government for jobs and services and variations in social and economic factors are preventing the middle class from advancing and contributing more effectively to society the report says. A global management and research company Booz and co analyzed the results of questions put to a sample of 1,450 middle class people in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco.
With the uncertain situation in the region and the economic uncertainty it is perhaps not surprising that 48 per cent of those question were not satisfied or slightly satisfied with their situation. Moroccans do not think the economic situation over the last five years has changed much,Egyptians were the most dissatisfied and Saudis with a booming economy were happy.
“There has never been a more critical time for policymakers in the Middle East to focus on empowering the region’s sizable—and politically significant—middle class,” Richard Shediac, Samer Bohsali and Hatem Samman, the authors of the report said. “There is a dire need for change, via a set of economic, social, and political policies aimed at developing a large, dynamic, and sustainable middle class.”
Infact many in the middle classes in Europe and the US would say they are suffering overburdened by lower pay,high taxes and the threat of unemployment. It is certainly true in th three countries surveyed that social mobility is restricted and the middle classes are perhaps smaller, with the very rich still dominating society.
Perhaps as one comentator suggests Mena's problem is that the middle class in the region is not a significant generator of GDP or innovation.Social mobility is more restricted.
It is generally held that a strong middle class is a key element in developing society. Wealth disparity makes a society unstable because people feel that the situation is unfair. Greater prosperity helps to drive countries forward economically.
During this period of uncertainty following the arab spring revolutions some of which are still ongoing it is difficult for governments to achieve the social planning the Booz survey calls for but hopefully in the years ahead a freer social situation will allow the necessary structural changes in society.
With the uncertain situation in the region and the economic uncertainty it is perhaps not surprising that 48 per cent of those question were not satisfied or slightly satisfied with their situation. Moroccans do not think the economic situation over the last five years has changed much,Egyptians were the most dissatisfied and Saudis with a booming economy were happy.
“There has never been a more critical time for policymakers in the Middle East to focus on empowering the region’s sizable—and politically significant—middle class,” Richard Shediac, Samer Bohsali and Hatem Samman, the authors of the report said. “There is a dire need for change, via a set of economic, social, and political policies aimed at developing a large, dynamic, and sustainable middle class.”
Infact many in the middle classes in Europe and the US would say they are suffering overburdened by lower pay,high taxes and the threat of unemployment. It is certainly true in th three countries surveyed that social mobility is restricted and the middle classes are perhaps smaller, with the very rich still dominating society.
Perhaps as one comentator suggests Mena's problem is that the middle class in the region is not a significant generator of GDP or innovation.Social mobility is more restricted.
It is generally held that a strong middle class is a key element in developing society. Wealth disparity makes a society unstable because people feel that the situation is unfair. Greater prosperity helps to drive countries forward economically.
During this period of uncertainty following the arab spring revolutions some of which are still ongoing it is difficult for governments to achieve the social planning the Booz survey calls for but hopefully in the years ahead a freer social situation will allow the necessary structural changes in society.
Source : https://www.marocafrik.com/english/Regional-survey...