India’s Middle Class – Stuck in the Middle, Like Grease

If you happen to be in any household in the morning in Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Gurgaon, Chennai or any other Indian city, you will find chaos. A race against time for people leaving for work, school, college, classes or coaching.

Why is everybody running so desperately? It is because they are from the middle class of India. A class that seems to be strong and financially sound from a distance but equally vulnerable if you look closely.

If they don’t work, study hard or excel at some skill, they will be left high and dry. No one is coming to their rescue.

No governments, no NGOs, no social media influencers – no one is interested in their story, yet they are so important for the smooth functioning of this country.

We had class divisions in our society in ancient times. We still have them, but a different type this time. The four classes that exist in modern India are:

• The Ruling Class
• The Wealthy Class
• The Middle Class
• The Lower Class

On closer examination, you will realize each of these classes, except the middle class, has strong connections with the other two and together the three classes exist in perfect harmony.

Confused? You ought to be.

Don’t think too hard. Here’s the explanation.

The ruling class, irrespective of who is in power currently, stays on top and wields full power. Political leaders build relationships across ruling and opposition parties to enjoy all-weather power and privileges, whether or not in power.

All political leaders know that staying in power or opposition is a part of the game, so they cooperate with each other to form a creamy layer of ruling class.

The wealthy, on the other hand, fund politicians and their parties for favors such as approvals, licenses, allotments, government contracts and much more. The politicians need them for funding, and the wealthy need the politicians for smooth running of their businesses, without any interference from regulatory bodies.

Perfect love story!

The lower class, the largest demographic group in India on the basis of household income, is the vote bank. The politicians pamper them, appease them and launch policies for their welfare. If anything does not go their way, the lower class have the power to bring governments down, so they are always given top priority by political parties and governments.

So that’s that.

But what happens to the middle class of India?

Being a demographic group that is the weakest in terms of numerical strength at just 43 crores or 31% of the total population, it is often left out.

Lack of numerical strength is just one chapter of their story.

If all 43 crore people were together, the middle class would emerge as a very strong group. But that does not happen because it is highly fragmented and remains isolated from others’ concerns till they affect them directly.

The taste of money, the urban luxuries and the lifestyle keeps them on a dopamine dose, just enough, so that they remain high but never escape the middle-class honeytrap.

Their situation is like that of a prisoner who won’t want to be set free because there is just enough comfort in the prison that he does not want to risk leaving it.

They won’t protest on the streets because they don’t have the luxury of time to spend there. They are not used to sitting on the ground in the heat and are allergic to dust. Moreover, they also worry about their social stature.

They won’t become politicians. They won’t oppose policies. They won’t protest; they won’t do anything.

Why? Because their insecurity about the future, lack of social welfare and a captivating comfort zone prevent them.

Since the nature of the middle class is like this, the wealthy, the governments and the poor, no one has ever given a thought about what the middle class wants or what must be done for them.

They work the hardest and pay maximum taxes in terms of the percentage of their income, yet use almost nothing provided by the government. No hospitals, no schools, no subsidies – nothing.

Nothing at all!

And yet, the middle class is one of the biggest contributors to India’s economic growth. It drives consumption, accounts for a substantial share of household income and savings, and supplies the skilled workforce that keeps businesses and the services sector running.

Research by PRICE suggests that the middle class accounts for around 50% of India’s aggregate household income and 52% of household savings. Its spending fuels demand, its savings provide capital for investment, and its taxes fund the government.

If the middle class contributes so much to the economy, shouldn’t its concerns and aspirations receive equal attention?

They pay taxes while earning, while spending, while gifting, while driving, while eating, while being sick and after dying. Where do the taxes go? To the government.

What does the government do with these taxes? Need I mention?