While recent studies have highlighted the phenomenon and risks of increased inequalities between the top and the bottom, little research has been carried out on trends relating to the middle income range that generally represents the middle class. This volume examines the main transformations in the world of work over the last 20 years in terms of the labour market, social dialogue, conditions of work, wages and income, and looks at how these changes have impacted the middle class. The book issues a warning about the latest trends and presents considerations to policy-makers for ensuring the future of the middle class in Europe.

1. Is The World of Work Behind Middle Class Reshuffling? Daniel Vaughan-Whitehead, Rosalie Vazquez-Alvarez and Nicolas Maitre 2. Is The World of Work Stimulating Middle Class Growth in the Baltic States? Jaan Masso, Inta Mierina and Kerly Espenberg 3. Social Concertation and Middle Class Stability in Belgium Sarah Kuypers and Ive Marx 4. Transformation in the World of Work and the Middle Class: The French Experience Pierre Courtioux and Christine Erhel 5. The Erosion of the German Middle Class: The End of the ‘Levelled-Out, Middle Class Society’? Gerhard Bosch and Thorsten Kalina 6. The Greek Middle Classes Facing an Uncertain Future Maria Karamessini and Stefanos Giakoumatos 7. Is Hungary Still in Search of its Middle Class? István György Tóth 8. Middle Incomes in Boom and Bust: The Irish Experience Bertrand Maître and Brian Nolan 9. The Middle Class in Italy: Reshuffling, Erosion, Polarization Annamaria Simonazzi and Teresa Barbieri 10. Stagnating Incomes and the Middle Class in the Netherlands: Running to Stand Still? Wiemer Salverda 11. Still Holding On? Inequality, Labour Market and Middle Income Groups in Portugal Pilar GonzáLez, AntóNio Figueiredo, Hugo Figueiredo and Luis Delfim Santos 12. Knocking on Heaven’s Door: Changes in the World of Work and the Middle Class in Spain Rafael Muñoz-De-Bustillo and José-Ignacio Antón 13. The Rise and Fall of the Swedish Middle Class? Dominique Anxo 14. How Have Middle-Income Households Fared in Unequal Britain? A Focus on Work and Employment Trends Damian Grimshaw and Anthony Rafferty Index