Illustrado
The Ilustrados (, "erudite", "learned" or "enlightened ones") constituted the Filipino educated class during the Spanish colonial period in the late 19th century. Elsewhere in New Spain (of which the Philippines were part), the term ''gente de razón'' carried a similar meaning. They were middle class Filipinos, many of whom were educated in Spain and exposed to Spanish liberal and European nationalist ideals. The ''Ilustrado'' class was composed of native-born intellectuals and cut across ethnolinguistic and racial lines—'' Indios'', ''Insulares'' and ''Mestizos'', among others—and sought reform through "a more equitable arrangement of both political and economic power" under Spanish tutelage. Stanley Karnow, in his '' In Our Image: America's Empire in the Philippines'', referred to the ''Ilustrados'' as the "rich Intelligentsia" because many were the children of wealthy landowners. They were key figures in the development of Filipino nationalism.
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Middle Class
The middle class refers to a class of people in the middle of a social hierarchy, often defined by occupation, income, education, or social status. The term has historically been associated with modernity, capitalism and political debate. Common definitions for the middle class range from the middle fifth of individuals on a nation's income ladder, to everyone but the poorest and wealthiest 20%. Theories like "Paradox of Interest" use decile groups and wealth distribution data to determine the size and wealth share of the middle class. From a Marxist standpoint, middle class initially referred to the 'bourgeoisie,' as distinct from nobility. With the development of capitalist societies and further inclusion of the bourgeoisie into the ruling class, middle class has been more closely identified by Marxist scholars with the term 'petite bourgeoisie.' There has been significant global middle-class growth over time. In February 2009, ''The Economist'' asserted that over half of the ...
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