Generational Income Mobility in North America and Europe

An analysis contrasting economic mobility in American/British economies with corporate state models of continental Europe.

Miles Corak (Edited by)

9781107402812, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 11 August 2011

340 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.8 cm, 0.46 kg

Labour markets in North America and Europe have changed tremendously in the face of increased globalisation and technical progress, raising important challenges for policy makers concerned with equality of opportunity. This book examines the influence of both changes in income inequality and of social policies on the degree to which economic advantage is passed on between parents and children in the rich countries. Standard theoretical models of generational dynamics are extended to examine generational income and earnings mobility over time and across space. Over twenty contributors from North America and Europe offer comparable estimates of the degree of mobility, changes in mobility, and the impact of government policy. In so doing, they strengthen the analytical tool kit used in the study of generational mobility, and offer insights for research and directions in dealing with equality of opportunity and child poverty.

1. Introduction M. Corak
2. A model of intergenerational mobility variation over time and place G. Solon
3. Equal opportunity and intergenerational mobility: going beyond intergenerational income transition matrices John E. Roemer
4. Intergenerational mobility for whom? The experience of high and low earning sons in international perspective N. Grawe
5. Trends in the intergenerational economic mobility of sons and daughters in the United States S. Mayer and L. Lopoo
6. Changes in intergenerational mobility in Britain J. Blanden, A. Goodman, P. Gregg and S. Machin
7. Intergenerational mobility in Britain: new evidence from the British household panel survey J. Ermisch and M. Francesconi
8. Nonlinear patterns of intergenerational mobility in Germany and the United States K. Couch and D. Lillard
9. Family structure and labour market success A. Björklund, E. Österbacka, M. Jäntti, O. Raaum and T. Eriksson
10. New evidence on the intergenerational correlations in welfare participation M. Page
11. Intergenerational influences on the receipt of unemployment insurance in Canada and Sweden M. Corak, B. Gustafsson and T. Österberg
12. Unequal opportunities and the mechanisms of social inheritance G. Esping-Andersen
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Political economy [KCP], Microeconomics [KCC], Population & demography [JHBD], Sociology & anthropology [JH]