In an article about the promising reality of a global middle class, recent data from the Pew Research Center shows that global poverty has been dropping. Even though a majority of the world’s population is still considered “poor” and “low income”, that number has been halved from 2001 to 2011. Equally exciting, the middle class also grew.

The Pew data shows that there is a rise in prosperity concentrated in the areas of China, South America and Eastern Europe. Although being considered as “middle class” throughout the world is quite different from what is considered to be a middle-class lifestyle in the United States, it is significantly better than the World Bank’s global standard for extreme poverty—living on $2 a day.

However, it is important to note that when there is a discussion of the global standard for a “middle-class”, the World Bank describes “middle-class” as an individual who makes $10-$50 a day. So, while these numbers aren’t exactly ideal, it is significant enough to ensure that global “middle-class” families have enough money to purchase food to eat and the means to survive in moderate comfort within their geographical location.

Within the latest reports from Pew on the decrease of people within the poverty bracket, China largely drove the rise of the global middle class. In recent data, China is stated to have increased its share of individuals in the middle class by 15%, or by 203 million people. Regarding the fact that nearly 1 in 5 of the world’s population lives in China, this development is truly significant.

This amazing achievement of growing global income levels was in part due to significant economic reforms that have continuously helped facilitate growth and solidify China’s economy over the past three decades.

With these changes in world poverty statistics, ending world poverty seems to be all the more attainable.

– Alysha Biemolt

Sources: Pew Global, US News, World Watch, The World Bank
Photo: Flickr