in the s both countries had similar income levels and similar rates of growth south korea s larger middle class enabled it to shift away from exportdriven growth towards domestic consumption a transition that did not occur in brazil they do not constitute a developmental middle class and their employment education and consumption behaviours do not coincide with perceptions of a middle class that drives domestic consumption and growth in latin america for example the middle sectors are still economically vulnerable average schooling is only years and few of its members have university degrees