Patterns of social mobility
By A. Swaby-Burton, Contributor

IN THIS week's lesson, attention will be paid to patterns of social mobility.

Questions

Social mobility refers to the movement of persons and groups within the stratification systems. Distinguish between.

(a) Vertical and horizontal mobility
(b) Upward and downward mobility
(c) Intergenerational and intragenerational mobility

In studying stratification, we have to consider not only the differences between economic positions or occupations, but what happens to the individual who occupies them. Social mobility is the movement up or down the social class hierarchy. Mobility may be long-range (for example from manual working class to professional/higher managerial), or short term.

In explaining social mobility it is important to look at 'class origin'. 'Class origin' refers to the class into which a person is born and class of destination to the one he or she acquires. There are basically two ways of studying social mobility. First, we can look at individuals' own careers: that is how far they move up or down the social scale in the course of their working lives. In other words, the individual acquires a different social status from the one which he or she previously held. This is usually called 'intragenerational mobility'.

Alternatively we can analyse how far children enter the same type of occupation as their parents or grandparents. In other words, social mobility occurring between generations. Mobility across the generations is called intergenerational mobility

Similarly, the terms vertical and horizontal mobility are frequently used in relation to ones pattern of movement within the stratification system. Vertical mobility is simply another way of referring to 'upward' or 'downward' mobility. Those who gain in property, income or status are said to be upwardly mobile, while those who move in the opposite direction are 'downwardly mobile'. Horizontal, on the other hand, involves a change from one occupation to another of equal status. Horizontal mobility refers to occupational rather than social mobility as it involves no change of social status.

LATERAL MOBILITY

In modern societies there is also a great deal of 'lateral mobility', which refers to geographical movement between neighbourhoods, towns and regions. Vertical and lateral mobility are often combined. For example, an individual working in a company in the city (Kingston) might be

promoted to a higher position in a branch of the company in another parish, or even in a different country.

Mobility studies show that downward mobility is less common than upward mobility, however, it is a widespread phenomenon. Downward intragenerational mobility is also common. Mobility of this type is quite often associated with psychological problems and anxieties where individuals become unable to sustain the life-styles to which they have accustomed. Redundancy is another of the main sources of downward mobility. In Jamaica, where this has become a common feature of our economy many persons have experienced this type of mobility.

Many persons in modern societies believe that it is possible for anyone to reach the top if they work hard and persistently enough. Yet very few succeed. Why should it be so difficult? In one respect the answer is simple. Even in a 'perfectly fluid' society, according to A. Giddens, in which everyone has an equal chance of reaching the highest positions, only a small minority would do so. In most Caribbean islands the socio-economic order is shaped like a pyramid, with only relatively few positions of power, status and wealth. In addition, those who hold positions of wealth and power have many openings available to them to perpetrate their advantages, and to pass on all of this to their children. Not only this, but their children are given the best available education and this will in most cases lead them into good jobs. Those who make it to the top have a headstart; they come from professional or affluent background. Studies have revealed that people who have become wealthy did so on the basis of inheriting or being given at least a modest amount initially which they use to make more. ( Jaher 1980, Rubinstein 1980).

It is interesting to note here in Jamaica that many persons have received the change of becoming wealthy through playing the 'lotto'. It would be quite interesting to study this phenomenon to see whether or not their children or relatives will benefit from inheritances if and when they depart and to examine carefully how they would utilise this.

I end this week's lesson on this note. But before I go, see if you can do the following question as revision. Distinguish between 'open' and 'closed' stratification systems. Discuss the determination of status and social mobility in these two systems, giving examples from the Caribbean wherever possible. See you next week.