Intergenerational class mobility in industrial and post-industrial societies: Towards a general theory

Abstract

A large body of often rather complex findings on intergenerational social mobility has by now come into existence but theoretical development has not kept pace. In this paper, focusing specifically on class mobility in European nations and the US, we aim, first of all, to identify the main empirical regularities that have emerged from research, making the now standard distinction between absolute and relative mobility. Next, we review previous theories of mobility, leading up to what we label as the liberal theory, and we note the difficulties now evident with the latter, associated with its functionalist basis. We then set out our own theory of intergenerational class mobility, grounded in the subjectively rational courses of action followed by the various actors involved. We seek to show how the empirical regularities described can in this way be accounted for, while pointing to additional evidence that supports the theory but also to ways in which it is open to further empirical test. Finally, we consider some more general implications of the theory and, on this basis, venture a number of – conditional – predictions on the future of class mobility in more advanced societies.

The Intergenerational Effect of Educational Expansion: Diminishing Academic Achievement Among Children with University-Educated Parents

“…A well-documented empirical finding in educational and social mobility studies is the strong academic advantage of children from highly educated families compared to their counterparts with less educated parents (De Graaf & Ganzeboom, 1990;Hout & Janus, 2011;OECD, 2023;Schindler, 2017). Aligned with mainstream social mobility research, we interpret this process of intergenerational transmission of academic advantage in terms of parental motivation and capacity to safeguard their children's opportunities in life (Bukodi & Goldthorpe, 2022). Accordingly, university-educated parents (1) hold a stronger motivation to enhance their children's educational achievement, aiming to ensure their children also attain a university education to prevent downward social mobility, and (2) possess more economic, cultural, and social capital to succeed in this endeavour.…”

Individual success, collective failure?

“…upward mobility -indeed increased in most industrialised countries. Today, however, the situation has fundamentally changed, with upward mobility declining in most Western countries, while the proportion of downward mobility is increasing (Erikson & Goldthorpe, 1993;Breen, 2004;Bukodi, Paskov & Nolan, 2019;Eurofound, 2017;Bukodi & Goldthorpe, 2022). This process is particularly true of post-socialist countries, including Hungary, where the total mobility rate has been steadily declining since the 1970s and where the proportion of downward mobility is also increasing (especially for men) (Andorka, 1982;Róbert & Bukodi, 2004;Bukodi & Goldthorpe, 2010;Jackson & Evans, 2017;Robert, 2018;Huszár et al, 2020;.…”

Concept and Application of Industrial Heritage Planning Decision in Big Data Era

“…Post-industrial society is the further development of the industrial society of society [4]. The key variables of post industrial society are information and knowledge, and the main sectors of the economy are the third, even fourth, and fifth industries dominated by processing and service industries, such as transportation, public welfare, trade, finance, insurance, real estate, health, scientific research, and technological development [5]. Industrial heritage planning requires data support from various aspects, such as urban planning, environmental protection, tourism management, etc.…”