THE PHENOMENON OF THE MIDDLE CLASS IN CENTRAL ASIA: THEORETICAL APPROACHES, SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS, AND SCHOLARLY RESEARCH BY UZBEK RESEARCHERS
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.24240560
Kalit so‘zlar
middle class, Central Asia, Uzbekistan, civil society, social stratification, socio-economic stability, income, property ownership, entrepreneurship, education, digital technologies.Annotasiya
This article examines the theoretical and methodological foundations of the middle-class phenomenon in Central Asia, particularly in Uzbekistan, its socio-economic characteristics, and the processes underlying its formation. It systematizes sociological, economic, and security-based approaches to defining the middle class. A comparative analysis of the middle class in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is presented, focusing on its quantitative indicators, economic stability, and social stratification processes. Particular attention is paid to the scholarly perspectives of Uzbek researchers on the middle class, including the influence of income, property ownership, education, professional activity, entrepreneurship, and digital technologies on its formation. The findings highlight the need for a multidimensional approach to defining the middle class and substantiate its significance for social stability and the development of civil society.
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