Descendants of wealthy and educated people have made it easier in life. Even great-grandchildren have a better chance of a high social status if ancestors had a high status. This was discovered by researchers at World Economic Institute in cooperation with University of Madrid.
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Sebastian Braun, who works as a labour market researcher at Institute for World Economy in Kiel, and Jan Chairer of University of Madrid, examined data from four generations describing social status of families in Germany in twentieth century. The study was published in Economic Journal.
The result shows that social inequality is significantly slower than previously assumed: On average, 60 percent of factors relevant to social status of one person would be passed from one generation to next – social status of a Person is thus decisively influenced by parental home. Factors that condition social status included living conditions, social networks, but also talents that are inherited.
“A low status of ancestors acts like a load”
“Even after four generations, we were still able to measure a relationship between our own social status and that of ancestors,” writes Braun. “A low status of ancestors acts like a burden that also slows down social ascent even four generations later.”
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The data analysis will allow this conclusion, irrespective of wher social status is determined by degree of education or by profession. Previous studies have suggested that social status of parents tends to have little influence on status and income perspective of ir descendants, says Braun. “The data available today, and view of several generations, refute se assumptions. Social advancement is much more difficult than previously thought. “
