Social Mobility - Essay Example

Social Mobility Social mobility has been reflected upon in various societies, in the world. This is due to the role it plays in highlighting the status of a given society. The term reflects on the relationship that exists between the socio-economic statuses of parents in relation to what the children will achieve once they get older (OECD 184). On the other hand, the society may be deemed more or less flexible. This perception depends on whether the bond between parents’ and children’ social economic status as adults is loose or tighter. A child wage, education or occupation tends to have a strong correlation to those of parents (OECD 184). Intergenerational mobility depends on a variety of factors. These that play a role in individual economic success and includes inheritable traits and factors related to the family and social context in which individuals develop (OECD 184). Some of the environmental factors are related to public plans while others are largely influenced by policies. For example, there are policies that control access to human capital formation. These may include public support for early childhood as well as policies that may increase or reduce economic and other barriers to accessing higher education (OECD 184). Therefore, in economic terms, intergenerational social mobility can be defined in terms of the potential to move up (or down) the income or wage scale relative to one's parents (OECD 184). In United States, different factors influence social mobility. Some of these factors have acted as a barrier to social mobility amongst many people in the society. A description of barriers to social mobility in American society helps in predicting future of children, point challenges, and effort that need to be undertaken to improve social mobility. One of the existing barriers to social mobility is racial differences. Racial differences in family background may result to racial differences in the accumulation of human capital (Kearney 46). Such kind of human capital is thought to relate to education attainment. This may arise in terms of parental wealth and emphasis on learning (Kearney 46). Traditionally, different models assume that an personal achievement is based on ability. If this is the case, there should be a correspondence between black and white children. However, there appears to be cheaper labor market expectations for black children. Therefore, the black children’s choose a lower level of human capital investment (Kearney 46). Moreover, due to the constraints of getting credits, they are most likely not to associate with massive forms of investments. Therefore, if minorities families tend to have less access to credit and wealth than other families, they are also less likely to get quality education than the white children’ of the same ability (Kearney 46). A report indicates that children from low-income families have less than one percent chance of reaching the top 5% of income distribution as compared to children of the rich with over 10% chance (Hertz 4). The other factor is labor market discrimination. This occurs as workers who are of equal productive measures are treated unequally in the economic sense (Kearney 46). This may arise in relation to gender, race, or ethnicity. In America, such type of racial discrimination still exists. This occurs through the prejudice of some members of the majority group’s against members of the minority group. Consequently, some of the group may gain promotion and thus earn more in comparison to the other group. Kearney notes, “The transmission of income level from parents to children among blacks differs distinctly from among the whites” (37). He also notes that the average income is lower among blacks than whites are (Kearney 37). Consequently, the upward mobility is lower among blacks as compared to whites due to lower average income. In addition, the minority groups are also less likely to be hired based on the negative perception. This leads to such member of the minority group being unable to achieve financial success. This will most likely be transferred to their next generation. Moreover, unequal education opportunities serve as a barrier to social mobility. Education acts as a key mechanism of social mobility in any given society (McMurre and Sawhill). This is because it helps in giving the child and adults with tools necessary to develop personal qualities and talents into productive activities (Understanding Society 1). Therefore, any equalities arising to access to education acts as a barrier to social mobility. In America, children are exposed to unequal education opportunities. This occurs from pre-school to university level. These inequalities have a common ground with family income, place of residence, and race. The inequalities determine career path and subsequent social economic status of the young people based on the education settings (Understanding Society 1). Moreover, racial and ethnic segregation acts as a barrier to social mobility. The form of racial and ethnic segregation has a correlation between a group’s spatial location in society and its economic well-being (Smelser, Wilson and Mitchell 391). This occurs due to the uneven distribution of opportunities and resources. For example, some of the neighborhoods have safer streets, higher income values, better services, more effective schools, and a more conducive environment as compared to others (Smelser, Wilson and Mitchell 391). After people from these places gain access to improved economic status, they usually move to gain access to such opportunities. As a result, they seek to transform past socio-economic achievements into improved residential environment (Smelser, Wilson and Mitchell 391). This operation deliver substantial direct benefits and leads to improved future prospects for social mobility. This is possible as the residents undertake to provide greater access to resources they used to enjoy before in their previous residence. In the society, those groups that experience recent rapid in-migration and slow socioeconomic mobility are expected to show a high level of segregation (Smelser, Wilson and Mitchell 392). In America, blacks for a long time experienced extreme inequity in urban housing markets (Smelser, Wilson and Mitchell392). This led to their level of segregation rising in the time. Consequently, there was a restriction of opportunity for blacks as compared to other groups (Smelser, Wilson and Mitchell392). This makes it difficult for the group to achieve desired residential locations. This makes most of blacks to be concentrated in poor neighborhoods. Children born wealthy are so much likely to die wealthy than children born in poverty. This is because most parents and their adult children tend to share similar interest and economic conditions (Understanding Society 1). These opportunities make a child born in a wealthy family to be successful in the future. This occurs as such child has unlimited access to a better school, better jobs, and even access to capital. This helps in improving the social mobility of the child upward in future. On the other hand, a child born to a poor family will have limited access to opportunities (McMurre and Sawhill1). This means such a child is exposed to minimal chance of success as compared to child from a rich family. The disadvantaged child in a poor family difference is a matter of concern, as the society is more likely to become disproportionate in future. There is an urgent need to improve social mobility in United States. The most suitable thing that needs to be done is change of policies. For example, there should be implementation of policies ensuring improved access to higher education by disadvantaged group. On the other hand, policies should be implemented to ensure discrimination and racism is avoided in society. In conclusion, it is clear the issue of social mobility affects societies in meaningful ways. On the other hand, many barriers limits upward model of social mobility. These include segregation, racial differences, discrimination, and inequalities. Therefore, to reduce barriers calls for policies shift. Works Cited Hertz, Tom. “Understanding Mobility in America.” Americanprogress.org. Web. 23 November 2013. < http://www.americanprogress.org/wpcontent/uploads/issues/2006/04/Hertz_MobilityAnalysis.pdf>. Kearney, Melissa. “Intergenerational Mobility for Women and Minorities in the United States.” Journal Issue: Opportunity in America 16.2 (2006): 37-53. Print. McMurre, Daniel and Sawhill, Isabel. “Getting Ahead: Economic and Social Mobility in America.” Urban.org. . OECD. “A Family Affair: Intergenerational Social Mobility across OECD Countries.” Oecd.org. Web. 23 November 2013. . Smelser, Neil, Wilson, William and Mitchell, Faith. “America Becoming: Racial Trends and their Consequences.” Nap.edu. Web. 23 November 2013. < http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=9599&page=R1>. Understanding Society. “Social Mobility?” Blogspot.com. Web. 23 November 2013. < http://understandingsociety.blogspot.com/2009/08/social-mobility.html>. Read More