The decline of middle-class U.S. and European economic foundations shake.

<P> Since the last century, the rapid rise of the middle class became the backbone of global economic development, but this trend has reversed in recent years. .With the acceleration of economic globalization, the trend in income polarization and social development of the growing imbalance between the increased size of the global middle class, there was a certain degree of decline trend. .</ P> <P> particularly since the financial crisis, rising unemployment and a heavy debt burden of the collapse of the global middle class is facing a crisis, olive society to the "M-type society," the evolution of trends. .The so-called "M-type society" refers to the trend of globalization, the strong Always the Winner, with the reallocation of resources, the middle class because of loss of competitiveness, and reduced to the middle and lower classes, the distribution of wealth throughout the society, in the middle of this .blocks, suddenly had a large gap, the whole world is divided into three pieces, left the poor become more and more to the right of the rich have changed, but to suddenly sink into the middle of the formation of a collapse. .Benefits of economic growth flow to the rich class, especially in the wealthy sectors of the rich Western countries have a "collective sink." .</ P> <P> In the United States after the war, with the completion of industrialization and post-industrial society changes, the structure evolution of American society in steep decline mainly reflected in the blue-collar workers, and white collar workers continue to expand. .However, since the 70s of last century, the American middle class is facing two challenges. .</ P> <P> First, income growth slowed down to the late 1990s, the level of real income stagnation and even decline. .U.S. Census Bureau data show that from 1979 to 2007, the U.S. median household income increased by 13%, meaning that the income of middle-income groups increased. .But adjusted for inflation, real disposable income but declined. .Second, significant differentiation within the middle class, with some high-income earners (mainly through capital gains on corporate stock options, etc.), more middle-class family life growing distress. .According to New York State University, since 1979, the United States increased the degree of inequality in income distribution, 1% of the population holds 80% of new revenue. .Another recent study showed that from 1999 to 2004, 90% of U.S. inflation-adjusted family income grew by only 2%. .The richest 10% of household income has increased to 57%. .</ P> <P> increasing economic pressure makes more and more middle-class families rely on debt beyond their ability to pay to maintain the standard of living, and Wall Street since the 1980s, the ever-changing financial products selected to stimulate the U.S. middle class high .liabilities, high consumption lifestyles. .From 1983 to 2004, the American middle class debt / income ratio rose to 1.19 from 0.45. .The consumption patterns and the current round of financial crisis has a direct relationship. .</ P> <P> the economic crisis hit the middle class again, the cumulative number of unemployed more than 800 million people, up to 200 million U.S. households could not afford the mortgage and losing their homes. .In addition, the plight of the middle class in addition to factors from the economic downturn, but also by lack of federal and local government finances, the reduced investment in public services. .Since 1970, although the U.S. middle class spending clothes, food, household items and some reduced costs for the car, but in education, health, housing and tax costs increase sharply. .In particular the costs of child rearing and education doubled. .Nearly 30 years, the U.S. college education increased by 43.5%, a middle-income 3 times the revenue growth, and since 2000, the general four-year public college tuition and other costs rose 7.6%. .Two-thirds of university students need to complete their studies through loans, student loans is $ 19,300. .39% of the amount owed under the age of 35 who take at least ten years to pay off the loan, a quarter of delayed medical treatment because of debt, 14% of people get married for this delay. .</ P> <P> economists are worried, losing the middle class consumer power, the U.S. economic recovery will be delayed indefinitely. .The troubled U.S. middle class, middle-class pin their hopes on Obama came from. .Obama has also begun to "save the middle class action." .February 2009 set up the administration led by Vice President Biden, a specialized agency of the "middle class working families special team" to study for the American middle class, lower middle class in particular, to provide support. .Obama in the State of the Union in 2010, again to shift the focus of his economic policies to create employment, improve social welfare to help struggling American middle class. .The policy can be effective to implement and need attention. .</ P> <P> the European situation is similar. .In recent years, along with the accelerated process of economic globalization, the trend in income levels and social development continue to exacerbate the imbalance of increased size of the German middle class, there was a certain degree of shrinking trend, measured by income levels in 2006 .the proportion of the German middle class from 62% in 2000 to 54%. .</ P> <P> As in the past thirty or forty years, the French middle class incomes rising faster behind the housing, water, electricity, fuel and other prices rising faster, leading to the current middle class who are charged a monthly raise the proportion of basic living expenses, free .declining share of disposable funds, seriously affecting their quality of life. .Survey shows that the necessary expenditure in France in 1979, the middle class of about 20% of monthly expenditure, rose by 2009 to 32-38%. .</ P> <P> middle class groups frequently in an emergency, to get governments to recognize that the crisis in this class may lead to subsequent weak recovery, and trap the economy in the long-term risk of depression. .There is no middle class, the way the global economy will be more difficult. .(Author: Ministry of National Information Center) </ P>.