Anatomy of the Moroccan Middle Class: Characterization and Determinants

Abstract

This article conducts an in-depth analysis of the Moroccan middle class, addressing the central question: To what extent is the official definition of the middle class in Morocco adapted to the Moroccan context and, to a large extent, to the African context? Utilizing a clustering method that combines economic and sociological approaches, the study reveals the vulnerability and strong heterogeneity of the middle class. Three distinct social fractions emerge: the new middle class, primarily comprised of middle and senior managers and highly educated employees; the marginal middle class, mainly consisting of the unskilled in the informal sector; and the inactive middle class, exclusively composed of inactive and unemployed individuals. While the new middle class embodies typical characteristics of the middle class, a significant portion of this category remains vulnerable to poverty, emphasizing the inadequacy of income as the sole defining factor and highlighting the need to introduce additional dimensions.