Upward social mobility, well-being and political preferences: evidence from the BHPS

Publication type

Conference Paper

Series

BHPS-2009 Conference: the 2009 British Household Panel Survey Research Conference, 9-11 July 2009, Colchester, UK

Authors

Publication date

June 1, 2009

Abstract:

This paper uses 15 waves of BHPS data to provide an integrated analysis of the roles of both individual social status and upward mobility relative to own parents on job and life satisfaction, preferences for redistribution, pro-public sector attitudes and voting. Both greater individual social status and greater mobility with respect to parents are associated with higher levels of satisfaction. However, this symmetric effect disappears for political preferences. While greater social status is associated with less favourable attitudes to redistribution and the public sector, greater upward mobility is associated with more Left-wing attitudes. These attitudes translate into actual reported voting behaviour. Upwards social mobility produces satised Left-wingers.

Subjects

Link

- http://www.iser.essex.ac.uk/events/conferences/bhps-2009-conference/programme

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