Sociology holds that the upward movement serves as a safety valve for society. We must do everything in our power to push society to move upward. In the twenty years since reform was initiated, the living standards of the people registered a remarkable elevation. This is the upward movement in the broadest sense of the word. As a result, we saw the gap widen of the inhabitant’s income but at the same time we saw the majority of the people improve their life, which will offset the displeasure at the widening income disparity. The rise in living standards is an important guarantee for social stability and this meanwhile places a heavy load on our shoulders requiring us to work hard for China’s reform and development. That is to say, we must maintain a relatively high rate of economic growth. Or in other words, so long as we can make the cake’ large enough so as to allow the majority of the people to benefit from it, society will by and large remain stable.
　　On the contrary, research in sociology also shows that a fall in its social status almost always alienates that social group and nurses in them displeasure against the leading system of the society.