Does Social Mobility Affect Economic Development ? Cross-Country Analysis Using Different Mobility Measures

Overview & Synopsis

This paper analyzes the relationship between intergenerational educational mobility and long-term growth across the world using different mobility measures, comparing absolute mobility indicators with relative mobility indicators. The analysis is carried out across a panel of 68 countries over 2000–20. The results indicate that upward mobility in higher education is positively associated with gross domestic product per capita in Europe and Central Asia, but relative mobility indicators are uncorrelated with country income. In Latin America, higher relative mobility is associated with lower income, and higher absolute mobility is associated with higher income. The remaining regions of the world show a mix of these patterns.