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  3. The middle classes have always been the defense wall of society.【F1】Aristotle believed they were democracy’s secret weapon—the p

The middle classes have always been the defense wall of society.【F1】Aristotle believed they were democracy’s secret weapon—the p

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问题     The middle classes have always been the defense wall of society.【F1】Aristotle believed they were democracy’s secret weapon—the protectors of social values, the moderators of political extremism, and believers in a society run by laws instead of by strongmen. They have also been the engines of economic growth, setting the stage centuries ago for the expansion of capitalism and global trade, and continuing through the ages to snap up every new gadget in sight.
    【F2】Now, with the Western middle classes sinking into debt and distress, many economists look to a new emerging-market middle class as the potential foundation for a new age of global safety and prosperity. As large developing nations became more prosperous, it was always assumed that they would become more like the suburbs of Washington or London-liberal, democratic, market-friendly bastions not only of Western-style consumerism but also of political liberty. With time and wealth, "they" would become just like "us."
    The truth is that "they" are not becoming just like "us."【F3】The global middle class is rising faster than expected, in numbers and in wealth, but converging incomes are not yielding shared values. The e-merging bourgeoisie is a patchwork of contradictions: clamorous but rarely confrontational politically, supporters of globalization yet highly nationalistic, proud of their nations’ upward mobility yet insecure and fearful they will fall back, fiercely individualistic but reliant on government subsidies, and often socially conservative. Many of the aspiring elite seem willing to let the powers that be—whether authoritarian governments or elected ones—call the shots as long as they deliver the spoils of growth.
    It’s also worth remembering that the new middle classes are psychologically driven by an odd mix of pride and insecurity.【F4】Close to 30 percent of Brazil’s new middle class owes its livelihood to the informal market, where income is irregular, safety nets are nonexistent, and opportunity for en-trepreneurship is limited. Many have borrowed their way to higher living standards, one reason perhaps that 53 percent say they live in fear of unemployment, loss of income, or even bankruptcy. They have benefited from the explosion of private schools but have seen the overall quality of education plummet, eroding one of the classic middle-class paths to social mobility.【F5】Indeed, some development economists argue that the poor will be a greater force for social change, but their ability to become a force for better government, greater freedoms, less corruption, and more economic liberty is much less certain. "They" have a very long way to go before becoming "us."
【F3】
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答案全球中产阶级兴起的速度，不论是从数量上看还是从财富上看，都要比想象中快得多。然而，聚集在中产阶级身上的那些财富并没有相应带来统一的价值观。
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