From the global politics of poverty alleviation to the global politics of social solidarity

Abstract

This article argues that the important role of the middle class in helping to expand state responsibility for social welfare and a minimum standard of living has been long forgotten, particularly so when it comes to the analysis of how to address ongoing problems of poverty and inequality in the developing world. In light of the global recession and the predicted failure to achieve most of the Millennium Development Goals, this article makes the case for returning to the idea that strengthening the middle class can contribute to improving the quality of life of more vulnerable populations. The ‘global politics of poverty alleviation’, which has been the dominant development discourse for 20 years, needs to be replaced by the ‘global politics of social welfare state building’ or more precisely the ‘global politics of solidarity’. Equality, social mobility and collective welfare would thus become the focus of policy strategies rather than targeted populations and quantitative objectives. The article begins by investigating why the middle class has been neglected in international development and how it is experiencing a rebirth. The article then suggests why a shift in attention to the middle class is critical for addressing global social problems and offers a policy and research agenda for the future.