Classifying the Classes
I was reading a final report yesterday and came across the following descriptions characterizing of the classes in Mali: rich, middle-class, and poor. Thought I would share with you the descriptions as they are very different from our definitions of the classes (i.e. having horses versus horsepower).
Rich:
• 60 horses/donkeys and 40 carts
• 2 tons of grain production a month
• 300 goat and sheep
• Home worth at least $23,500
Middle-Class:
• 50 Sheep or/and
• 50 goats
• 10 carts
• 1 horse
• 2 sacs of rice and millet per month
Poor
• No resources
• Manual laborer
• Maximum of 5 goats and one dog
• Grain and food obtained through gifts or barter
• Gathers products and food rather than buying