The Changes of Social Class Structure in the Process of Chinese Modernization

The modernization of the social class structure is a crucial foundation for achieving Chinese modernization. Based on the data from the China Social Survey, this study focuses on analyzing the changes in the social class structure from 2013 to 2023 and its relationship with income and wealth inequality. The findings are as follows: Driven by multiple factors such as the rapid development of China's economy and society and the transformation of the industrial structure, the social class structure in China underwent profound changes from 2013 to 2023, with a rapid decline in the proportion of farmers and industrial workers. The internal composition of the labor force has shifted from being primarily composed of industrial workers to being dominated by service sector workers.Influenced by the modernization of the industrial structure and the widespread accessibility of higher education, the proportion of professional and technical personnel has increased. The changes in the social class structure are accompanied by shifts in income and wealth distribution, particularly reflected in the growing wealth disparity among residents of different social classes. To address these issues, it is necessary to build a more stable and equitable employment environment, strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of flexible workers, and focus on regulating income distribution and wealth accumulation mechanisms.