Does escaping poverty make me 'middle class'? This is what the experts say.

The middle class is usually characterized as that segment of the population that enjoys a relatively comfortable standard of living , but above all, "economic stability." Regarding this last clarification, various researchers have answered the question of whether escaping poverty makes a person "middle class." Is this the case, or do other variables need to be taken into account?

According to experts consulted by the BBC, the leap from poverty to a much better and stable economic capacity proposes a significant change towards another social class, but it is not an "automatic leap to the middle class." " In fact, those who exceed the poverty line are exposed to falling again in the face of any unforeseen event, such as the illness of a relative or unemployment," they emphasize. "Exceeding this threshold does not guarantee the well-being of an individual. Therefore, management must be aimed at consolidating the middle class to overcome vulnerability," indicated Sebastián Nieto, of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

"What has changed is the perception of the middle class and its aspirations," he said. This situation would also be considered due to the growth of this population group, which has increased from 22% to 37% in the last 20 years.

(See more: Citizen Income and VAT Refund: When do beneficiaries receive their money transfers?) "Today, we have a middle class that is more demanding of institutions, with less credibility in governments, the legislative and judicial branches, and that wants better public services such as health, education, and transportation," he noted. Does income really define your social class?

Without a doubt, the amount of income you receive from your obligations will allow you to meet your needs; this situation is not relevant to defining you or adding you to a social group. (See more: It's already confirmed: this will be the price of a Bogotá Metro fare.) "It's important to consider a person's education, type of work , and level of authority in their job," Emmanuelle Barozet, a sociologist at the Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris, told the BBC.