Is there increasing disconnect between the urban middle-class and the poorer sections of the society?

Mr Mathew has cited some "scientific methodology" which obviously lacks to appreciate any percolation to the real needy is far from proven with widening gap with rich getting richer and poor only increasingly getting poorer as also increasing in quantum.Poor Governance and policy deficit is at root is as well beyond imagination but as Indians do the have alls a responsibility towards lending a helping hand to ones with have nots is the question we must begin asking. Needless to mention palaces can not withstand on marshy lands.

Nice example Mr. Pandianarjunan. These debate has brought to fore fantastic ideas on both sides. I personally feel this cocooned life of middle class will eventually give way to a more comprehensive understanding of the society as a whole. Frankly I won't be surprised if what we identify as the middle class' view is just a attitude of a segment of the middle class. A segment manured and projected by the media. A segment that can bring in ad revenues to the media. It would be worthwhile to find out if the disconnect is after all between this segment and the poorer sections of the society.

"If you redeem your village, this viral effect will start happening!" If one reads the post of Murlidharanji below, the above statement of his explains where the focus of an Indian individual should be. Make progress individually and make a tiny difference in ones own village.

Surely even if a third of our middle class practice this golden commandment we could start a revolution that will change the face of India.

It is time we shouldered our responsibilities to state and stop acting as spoilt brats who keep pointing fingers on the politicians etc.

True. This is primarily because of the modern world is more self conscious and hardly having time to think on what others are doing.

I agree with Nehaji partly. The government should go ahead with its social emporment schemes. Infact it has to better its record to a large extent. But somebody will feel the pinch for diverting public money to the work. It is going to be the middle-class. The super rich will not bat an eyelid in the increse of taxes, price rise in petrol & diesel etc. They already move around in limousine.

But the gist of what I am saying is we in the middle-class may be in for a short period of pressure. But got to take it in the right spirit. I believe, a significant section of the higher middle class is not doing so.

Yes Tanmay, I do not agree that the definitions of class should not be based on ones profession. But we cannot deny the existence of a class division in the Indian society based on financial muscle.

Thanks to all my friends who have debated on this topic so far. I have always questioned myself if there is anything true to the 'disconnect theory'. I am beginning to veer towards a hawk in my views on this topic.

I still feel strongly that we only pay lip service to sensitivity of the society. We get worked up if there is hike in petrol prices , in spite of the volatility of global market. The same middle class is skeptical when the government seeks to introduce schemes (politically motivated or not - is matter for another debate) for the uplift-ment of the downtrodden. We are then worried about the loss to the exchequer.

Brig. Chadha does have a point that it is our collective guilt coupled with selfishness that we want the government to lift the burden all by itself. As he pointed out it is not the question of finances only, social factors to do matter. No government can enforce it. Or it will be a police state?

Amishji probably you got a point that a section of the middle-class is bearing the brunt of the financially tough times along with the poor.

I guess it is time we classify the the middle class into upper middle class and lower middle-class. The lower end seems to be on the receiving end. The big guns continue to splurge without much of an impact.

Thanks Muralidharanji for explaining the paradox, I referred to. Though I am not sure that if it is ignorance or insensitivity that is creating ths disconnect. Either way it does not bode well for our country.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the needs of the poor of the society and middle-class are going on a tangent. There is a reason for the same. The economic reforms of last two decades have bettered the middle class. Windows of opportunity have been opened and our middle class has utilized them to lift their standards of livings. They now are demanding further fruits.

But the unfortunate part of the economic reforms has been that the reforms have not been able to perculate to the lower strata of society. Infact their plight is worse of than any time before. This will result in a strain on the growth of the country and eventually slow down the growth story. It could also cause social tensions in future. 

The needs of today's middle-class and the lower income grops are not similar as it was before. The questions thus arises if the middle-class is aware of these chasm between them and the lower strata when they critize the government for denying them further incentives?

Is there a disconnect between the middle class and the poor segment of our society. Or  is it insensitivity rather than disconnect, that drives the ever increasing demands of middle-segment?

A paradox indeed (Which I cannot explain) for the good majority of todays middle-class were in the poor sections just 2 decades back. What explains this attitude. In-fact before reforms, India did not have much of a middle-class segment to speak of.