The World Bank classifies nations as low income, lower middle income, upper middle income, or high income based on their per-person gross national income, or GNI-a number that reflects the average income in those nations. Why might sociologists find this form of classification problematic?

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Sociologists might find the World Bank's classification based on per-person GNI problematic because this number is an average of all incomes in a country and can mask significant inequalities within a specific nation. For example, a high per-person GNI does not necessarily mean that all individuals in that country have access to resources and opportunities that provide a high standard of living. Moreover, the classification does not consider other social and economic factors that shape the experiences of people in a particular country.

The World Bank Classifies Nations as Low Income, Lower Middle