Chinese Democratisation: The Nature and Role of the Middle Class

Rapid economic development and a rising middle class have given hope to China's political development. The democratisation history around the world provides clues to the possible directions China's new middle class might be heading in politics. The conservative Chinese middle class is predicted to make China's democratisation more stable than volatile, more gradual than radical. China may experience a long but steady path towards democratisation just like other major democratised countries.