Research Paper

Did the middle classes shrink during the 1980’s? UK evidence from kernel density estimates

By Stephen P. Jenkins

Publication details

Publication date
Series or book
Working Papers of the ESRC Research Centre on Micro-Social Change
Series or chapter number
95-01
Publisher
ESRC Research Centre on Micro-social Change: University of Essex

Abstract

This paper proposes, using kernal density estimation methods, to investigate the shrinking middle class hypothesis. The approach reveals striking new evidence of changes in the concentration of middle incomes in the U.K. during the 1980's. Breakdowns by family economic status demonstrate that a major cause of the aggregate changes was a moving apart of the income distributions for working and non-working households.

Notes

working paper

Topics