Comments on: Is social mobility a good thing?

By: matthewtaylor

matthewtaylor — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:58:21 +0000

Thanks Asher. I guess my point is that the evidence linking social equity to contentment is much stronger that that linking social mobility to contentment. Because going down hurts more than going up feels good a more socially mobile society will tend to be less content. However, greater mobility would probably contribute to greater economic dynamism and – all things being equal – this should help reduce poverty and improve public provision so it is a complex area. Overall, however, I think we should avoid simply asserting that social mobility is a good thing or that it is only about the people going up (which we can all agree with) and not also about people at the top and middle going down (which is much more problematic)

By: Asher Dresner

Asher Dresner — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:34:51 +0000

I learn a lot from you, and always enjoy reading your ideas.

But, some queries on this:

“…Those just outside the top strata are much more focussed on, and expectant of, shifting up a notch, and will thus be more disappointed when they don’t, than would be those at the bottom who will tend to compare themselves with the people just above them.”

But by prioritising the subjective happiness of those ‘just outside the top strata’ – the parent at the gate of the independent school wondering whether he can afford to send any more of his kids there, for example – surely you’re prioritising maximising aggregate happiness over a good distribution of happiness? Why is that a good idea?

“By lowering the distance people have to travel to move up or down, and making downward mobility less disastrous for personal finances and status, relatively equal societies lower the economic and social barriers to mobility.”

I’d be interested to read your thoughts on how to lower ‘the distance people have to travel to move up or down’. Firstly, what it means in practice, and secondly, whether you’d accept the need to take into account the effects on happiness of any policy proposals which tried to achieve it!

By: matthewtaylor

matthewtaylor — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:09:16 +0000

I’ve done more on this today

By: matthewtaylor

matthewtaylor — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:08:45 +0000

True. But child benefit and in-work benefits which go to slightly higher income groups are also rising, and don’t forget the effect of lower mortgage payments

By: Blimpish

Blimpish — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 22:28:00 +0000

Good article – I’ve given my own view on my blog, but I think you’re right that social mobility is a convenient fix for things that people on the Left want to do but don’t want to be seen to be doing, although that’s full of tensions. What I don’t get is why the Right takes such an enthusiastic attitude when it’s an argument that they (we, for me) will only ever lose, precisely because mobility is so easily conflated with equality in the public mind.