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Upward Social Mobility, Well-being and Political Preferences: Evidence from the BHPS

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  • Andrew E. Clark
  • Emanuela D'Angelo

Abstract

The paper uses 18 waves of BHPS data to provide evidence of the roles of both own social status and upward mobility relative to one's parents on job and life satisfaction, preferences for redistribution, pro-public sector attitudes and voting. Both own social status and greater mobility with respect to parents are positively associated with subjective well-being. However, this symmetric effect disappears for political preferences. While greater social status is associated with less favourable attitudes to redistribution and the public sector, greater upward mobility is associated with more Left-wing attitudes. These attitudes translate into actual reported voting behaviour. Upwards social mobility produces satisfied Left-wingers.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew E. Clark & Emanuela D'Angelo, 2013. "Upward Social Mobility, Well-being and Political Preferences: Evidence from the BHPS," CEP Discussion Papers dp1252, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:cepdps:dp1252
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    Blog mentions

    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. Social mobility & political attitudes
      by chris dillow in Stumbling and Mumbling on 2010-05-04 20:13:56
    2. Our parental inheritance
      by chris dillow in Stumbling and Mumbling on 2014-02-02 19:28:12

    Citations

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    Cited by:

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    2. Bjørnskov, Christian & Dreher, Axel & Fischer, Justina A.V. & Schnellenbach, Jan & Gehring, Kai, 2013. "Inequality and happiness: When perceived social mobility and economic reality do not match," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 75-92.
    3. Etilé, Fabrice & Jones, Andrew M., 2011. "Schooling and smoking among the baby boomers - An evaluation of the impact of educational expansion in France," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 811-831, July.
    4. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/dd7iu65nm8cmbffuv10399qpu is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Yann Algan & Pierre Cahuc & Marc Sangnier, 2016. "Trust and the Welfare State: the Twin Peaks Curve," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 126(593), pages 861-883, June.
    6. Martí­n Leites & Xavier Ramos, 2017. "The effect of relative concern on life satisfaction: Relative deprivation and loss aversion," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 17-18, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    7. Zhou Xun, 2015. "Preference for Redistribution and Inequality Perception in China: Evidence from the CGSS 2006," AMSE Working Papers 1518, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France.
    8. repec:got:cegedp:91 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Lex Thijssen & Maarten H. J. Wolbers, 2016. "Determinants of Intergenerational Downward Mobility in the Netherlands," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 128(3), pages 995-1010, September.
    10. Liu, Kelly J. & Stutzer, Alois, 2024. "The Role of Social Mobility Experience in Zero-Sum Beliefs," IZA Discussion Papers 17407, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Aram Kwon, 2022. "The Impact of Intergenerational Mobility on Well-being in Japan," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 162(1), pages 253-277, July.
    12. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/dd7iu65nm8cmbffuv10399qpu is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Gwangeun Choi, 2021. "Individuals’ socioeconomic position, inequality perceptions, and redistributive preferences in OECD countries," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 19(2), pages 239-264, June.
    14. Luciana Méndez, 2020. "So Dissatisfied to Leave? The Role of Perceptions, Expectations and Beliefs on Youths’ Intention to Migrate: Evidence from a Developing Country," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(8), pages 2981-3006, December.
    15. Luciana Méndez, 2017. "So dissatisfied to leave? The role of perceptions, expectations and beliefs on youths' intention to migrate," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 17-12, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    16. Marta Schoch, 2020. "Essays on political economy, inequality and development," Economics PhD Theses 0120, Department of Economics, University of Sussex Business School.
    17. Laura Ravazzini & Florian Chávez-Juárez, 2018. "Which Inequality Makes People Dissatisfied with Their Lives? Evidence of the Link Between Life Satisfaction and Inequalities," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(3), pages 1119-1143, June.
    18. Martín Leites & Xavier Ramos, 2022. "The Effect of Relative Income Concerns on Life Satisfaction: Relative Deprivation and Loss Aversion," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 3485-3515, October.
    19. Tak Wing Chan, 2017. "Social Mobility and the Wellbeing of Individuals," DoQSS Working Papers 17-01, Quantitative Social Science - UCL Social Research Institute, University College London.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social Mobility; Satisfaction; Redistribution; Inequality; Voting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics
    • C25 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Discrete Regression and Qualitative Choice Models; Discrete Regressors; Proportions; Probabilities
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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