This paper examines key determinants of class status and the relationship
between class status and values. We show that class status is largely determined
by factors related to higher incomes, but is highly divergent among regions.
Higher class status is significantly correlated with values that are more likely to
foster economic growth. However, political activism is to a greater degree driven
by the middle class rather than the upper class or the lower class. This indicates
that the middle class may have special importance in demanding greater political
accountability. Thus, policies that raise class status through education and better
jobs may be highly important to creating a society with values that can contribute
to higher economic growth. However, higher income may have to be assessed
against the need to have a larger and more politically vocal and active middle
class that can place checks on government behavior. In general, the large
variation across regions in values indicates that the social and cultural make-up
of a country may factor into whether a country has more values that are more
conducive to economic growth. This may indicate that there are deeper and
more complex issues that cannot simply be resolved by policies that attempt to
increase income and move people up in class status.