Action report 3 - Book Report/Review Example

Social Mobility in the U.S The United s (U.S) endowed with a diverse culture, had been termed as the ‘land of opportunity’. However, social mobility varies across the U.S cities, because despite the countries attempt to preach equal opportunity, it has continued offering lesser opportunities to the people who need those opportunities most (Paul 1). Though some people have argued that the differences in mobility are brought about by factors affecting children during their growth: the children’s chances of moving to the upper ranks has not changed (Paul 1).

It is important to view income distribution as ladder with every percentile representative of different rungs. The ladder rungs seem to be further apart, implying increase in inequality, while children’s chances of moving to upper ranks has not changed have not changed. Over the second half or the twentieth century, rank-based measures of social mobility have remained stable though a larger increase in inequality emanates from the extreme upper trail (Raj 2). It is also crucial to note that mobility may have slightly increased in recent cohorts probably due to the consequences of the ‘birth lottery’, which seems larger today than in the past.

Intergenerational mobility has been noted to be extremely low in the U.S considered to most developed countries and some of the major factors strongly correlated to mobility include segregation, inequality, K-12 school system, social capital indices, and family structures, meaning that there is always substantial variation in the quest for escaping poverty (Raj 2). What I would is that despite the government’s effort in trying to ensure equality, several factors can lead to change in social mobility, most of which seem to be beyond the governments control.

Despite inequality in the American society, hard work and effort can lead to social mobility even if the surrounding environment seems unfavourable. One’s focus is really, what matters.Work CitedPaul, Krugman. Stranded by Sprawl. Retrieved 26th January, 2014. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/29/opinion/krugman-stranded-by-sprawl.html?src=me&ref=general&_r=3&gwh=12B7E4C5BD2DFE984467BE5E241363BB&gwt=pay&Raj, Chetty. Retrieved January, 2014. http://www.equality-of-opportunity.org/files/Trends%20Executive%20Summary%20January%202014.

pdfRaj, Chetty. Retrieved January, 2014. http://www.equality-of-opportunity.org/files/Geography%20Executive%20Summary%20and%20Memo%20January%202014.pdf