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Study: U.S.'s Inter-Generational Mobility Limited

It's not entirely a hereditary aristocracy and hereditary serfs; but the circumstances, genes, and connections that a person is born with do have a marked impact in this country.
By 

Investigative historian

Investigative historian
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FILE - The Federal Reserve Building is seen in Washington Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010 file photo. Don't expect the Federal Reserve to let up in its drive to keep stimulating the economy with record-low interest rates. Not yet, anyway. That's the view of economists as Fed policymakers hold a two-day meeting that starts Tuesday March 19, 2013. On Wednesday, the Fed will issue a policy statement and update its economic forecasts, and Chairman Ben Bernanke will hold a news conference. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
FILE - The Federal Reserve Building is seen in Washington Thursday, Jan. 14, 2010 file photo. Don't expect the Federal Reserve to let up in its drive to keep stimulating the economy with record-low interest rates. Not yet, anyway. That's the view of economists as Fed policymakers hold a two-day meeting that starts Tuesday March 19, 2013. On Wednesday, the Fed will issue a policy statement and update its economic forecasts, and Chairman Ben Bernanke will hold a news conference. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Nearly Half Born Poor Stay Poor;

Nearly Half Born Rich Stay Rich;

Most Born in Middle, Stay There.

Study: Fed. Reserve Bank of S.F.

A study released this month by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco reports that nearly half, 44%, of American adults who are in the bottom 20% in income, were born to parents who were also in the bottom 20%; and that nearly half, 45%, of adults in the top 20%, had parents who were also in the top 20%. Most Americans who were born in the middle 60% had parents who also were in the middle 60%.

The cup of inter-generational mobility in the U.S. is thus about half full, and about half empty.

If you were born in the bottom 20%, your chances of ending up in the top 20% are about one in 20: 5%.

If you were born in the top 20%, your chances of ending up in the bottom 20% are about one in 20: 5%.

It's not entirely a hereditary aristocracy and hereditary serfs; but the circumstances, genes, and connections that a person is born with do have a marked impact in this country.

Here's the chart, from this study:

http://www.frbsf.org/publications/economics/letter/2013/el2013-06-2.png

2013-03-17-el2013062.png

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Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of They're Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of CHRIST'S VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.

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