Social Mobility

in America What is it? And why is it important?

By Latagia Copeland B.S.,A.S.

What is social mobility?

it is ……

The ability of individuals or groups to move within a social hierarchy

with changes in income, education, occupation, etc.

There are 4 main types of social mobility

Vertical Social Mobility

Refers to when individuals and groups improve their position in the

hierarchy (society) by moving upwards or when their position worsens and they fall down the

hierarchy.

For Example

When individuals get into seats of political position; acquire money and exert influence over others because of their new status they are said to have achieved individual mobility.

Or

when an aristocrat or a member of an upper class may be dispossessed of his wealth and he is forced to enter a manual occupation.

Inter-Generational Social Mobility

Refers to a change in the status of family members from one generation to the next. It is a change in status

from that which a child began within the parents, household to that of the

child upon reaching adulthood

For Example

When a farmer's son becoming an officer.

Or

When a construction worker’s daughter becomes a lawyer.

Intra-Generational Mobility

Refers to the advancement in one's social level during the course of

one's lifetime. It may also be understood as a change in social

status which occurs within a person's adult career.

For example

When a person working as a supervisor in a factory becoming its assistant manager after

getting promotion.

Or

When a person starts their career working a manager in a retail store and becomes CEO

of the company.

Structural mobility

Refers to mobility which is brought about by changes in stratification

hierarchy itself. It is a vertical movement of a specific group, class or

occupation relative to others in the stratification system.

For Example When historical circumstances or labor market changes leads to the rise or decline of an occupational group within the social hierarchy.

Or

When an influx of immigrants may also alter class alignments -especially if the new arrivals are disproportionately highly skilled or unskilled.

Okay???

So what's the most relevant type in America ?

The answer is……

“Inter-Generational mobility”

In others words…..

The biggest prediction of your social mobility in America is the income/status of your

PARENTS income.

Others factors that contribute are…..

• Family structure

• Racial and economic segregation

• School quality

• Social capital

• Income inequality

• Social Politics

The reality is that…….

Here in America we are severely lagging behind most other industrialized counties

when it comes to social mobility (being able pulling oneself out of poverty). Australia,

Finland, Denmark, France, Italy, and Sweden, are way ahead of us.

So what's are the stats here?

• In America a child born poor (the bottom quartile) has about a 8% chance of making it to the top (top quartile).

• That’s the same chance of making it to the top as it was in 1970’s.

• Location matters a lot (Charlotte, N.C. 4-5% and Salt Lake City, U.T. about an 11%)

• 70% of poor people fail to ever make it into the middle class.

In other words……

The rags to riches stories that we all hear about in the media are the extreme

EXCEPTION and not the RULE. That’s why most of us will never meet someone that was

once dirt poor and is now a millionaire or billionaire.

Surprised???

So why the misconceptions about social mobility?

Because most Americans believe that America is a Meritocracy.

What's a Meritocracy?

A meritocracy is a social system in which people’s success in life depends primarily on their talents, abilities, and effort. The idea of

a meritocracy has served as in ideology through the argument that social inequality

results from unequal merit rather than prejudice or discrimination.

Why do Americans believe that we are a Meritocracy?

Because Americans have held more fervently than any other country the belief that ALL

people no matter their background can penetrate the elite as long as they have

talent, perseverance and gumption.

So why is social mobility important?

Because it is one of the core principles of American society but also because improving mobility can

have substantial implications for overall economic development. Children from disadvantaged

backgrounds naturally benefit directly from higher levels of upward mobility, but affluent individuals

benefit as well, because upward mobility contributes to economic growth both directly and indirectly.

References

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/social+mobility

https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/stratification-inequality-and-social-class-in-the-u-s-9/social-mobility-76/types-of-social-mobility-452-2421/

http://www.sociologyguide.com/social-mobility/types-of-mobility.php

http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2014/01/new_harvard_study_where_is_the_land_of_opportunity_finds_broken_families.html

http://www.salon.com/2015/03/07/the_myth_destroying_america_why_social_mobility_is_beyond_ordinary_peoples_control/

http://www.epi.org/publication/usa-lags-peer-countries-mobility/

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022103115000062

http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21595437-america-no-less-socially-mobile-it-was-generation-ago-mobility-measured

http://www.npr.org/2014/01/23/265356290/study-upward-mobility-no-tougher-in-u-s-than-two-decades-ago

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/us-social-mobility-problem

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/howard-steven-friedman/class-mobility_b_1676931.html

http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21640316-children-rich-and-powerful-are-increasingly-well-suited-earning-wealth-and-power

http://sociology.about.com/od/M_Index/g/Meritocracy.htm