Social Mobility and Equality.

Social mobility is generally studied in three different ways: stratum mobility, intergenerational social mobility, and intragenerational or career mobility. This paper deals with the first two types of mobility and more with intergenerational mobility than with stratum mobility. The working hypothesis of both discussions is that, in general, a decline in inequalities has not occurred despite economic growth and the expansion of education. The question of inequality is at the forefront of this paper's analysis of intergenerational occupational outflow data, and the original hypothesis--that manual sons have not improved their mobility opportunities relative to those of nonmanual sons to maintain or improve theirs--is not sustained. In some countries examined the hypothesis seems true; in others, it is not. Explanations to account for why it goes one way in one nation and another way in a different country are needed. Labor markets (internal and external) are largely ignored in the study of the causes and patterns of intergenerational occupational mobility. The connections between schooling, social structure (e.g., ethnicity), and mobility should be key elements in research and in public policy formation. It is suggested that all results of this study must be taken with great caution and recognition that more and better understood data may overturn these findings. (Author/AM)