text: Since 2002, China has been actively engaged in the deliberate expansion of its middle class. As of 2020, there are approximately 400 million middle income citizens of China. This endeavor has been motivated by various aims, encompassing the promotion of consumption, maintaining social stability, and acknowledging the middle class as a fundamental element within the state. The Chinese middle class encompasses individuals who are private entrepreneurs as well as those who belong to the managerial and professional sectors. According to surveys, it has been observed that around 66% of private entrepreneurs have prior experience working within the party-state apparatus. Additionally, approximately 20% of these entrepreneurs have previously held official positions or leadership roles within either the party or the government. Approximately 40 percent of entrepreneurs are affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party, engaging in various political endeavors such as assuming positions in representative bodies and participating in local government associations. Numerous studies on the middle classes in China consistently reveal the absence of political opposition towards the government and a level of endorsement for a party-state.
  The 21st century also saw a decrease in the percentage of peasants in proportion to the overall working class as the economic reform gave them more freedom in their professional lives. Many young people living in rural communities also began to find it more appealing to attend university or find jobs in the city. There has been a major shift in the thinking of the youth, seen through the older ages of those working in farming. Finding individuals under the age of 40 still working in agriculture is now much more difficult than it was before. Prior to the 21st century, social class was primarily determined by identity rather than employment and education. This reform presented citizens, especially rural workers, with more social mobility and choice.