Intergenerational mobility in Europe and North America. A report supported by the Sutton Trust

Abstract

The level of intergenerational mobility in society is seen by many as a measure of the extent of equality of economic and social opportunity. It captures the degree of equality in life chances - the extent to which a person’s circumstances during childhood are reflected in their success in later life, or on the flip-side, the extent to which individuals can make it by virtue of their own talents, motivation and luck.
Under a project supported by the Sutton Trust we have sought to understand more about how intergenerational mobility compares across countries in Europe and North America. In addition, work has been carried out to understand more about mobility in Britain: how mobility has changed over time; and the role of education in shaping opportunity.