The Social Structure of Chinese Society: Stratification Dynamics

Since the foundation of the Chinese People's Republic, in the course of over 60 years - from 1949 to 2011, substantial transformations have occurred in the social structure of Chinese society. Rapid economic, political and cultural development of China has resulted in deep social transformations. The article reveals the logic, reasons and consequences of these transformations; the author identifies the qualitative and quantitative features of the structure of Chinese society in a wide historical perspective of half a century.