Author:

Hugo Neira Samanez

Abstract:

The middle class is playing a decisive role in sociopolitical life in the early decades of this century. Nevertheless it remains an extremely complex problematics. The peruvian middle class (with money but without symbolic capital) is treated last. This paper starts with a macro explanation of the worldwide middle class concept: owing to the globalized world “there are less and less poor people in our planet”. It shows a perspective picture of the 30s of the present century based on the most serious studies, and looks at how middle class is expanding in Africa, China, India, etc., from figures and trends. President Lula’s years in Brazil are also examined. After that, we go back to the XIX century to explain the formation of the peruvian middle class and bring forward the emerging and controversial one whose characteristics is “no more poor” but fails to get the power of knowledge.