In the light of the economic, political and social significance of the middle class for South
Africa’s emerging democracy, we critically examine contrasting conceptualisa-tions of social
class. We compare four rival approaches to empirical estimation of class: an occupational
skill measure, a vulnerability indictor, an income polarisation approach and subjective social
status.
There is considerable variation in who is classified as middle class based on the definition
that is employed and, in particular, a marked difference between subjective and objective
notions of social class. We caution against overoptimistic predictions based on the growth of
the black middle class. While the surge in the black middle class is expected to help
dismantle the association between race and class in South Africa, the analysis suggests that
notions of identity may adjust more slowly to these new realities and consequently, racial
integration and social cohesion may emerge with a substantial lag.