Switzerland tops social mobility: opportunities have remained stable since the 80s!

Switzerland tops social mobility: opportunities have remained stable since the 80s!

The opportunities for advancement in Switzerland are remarkably stable, as a recent study by the Institute for Swiss Economic Policy (IWP) at the University of Lucerne makes clear. This research highlights that social mobility in Switzerland has remained constant since the 1980s, while in other countries, particularly the USA, opportunities for advancement have declined significantly. While in the USA the influence of family origin on an individual's income is around 49 percent, in Switzerland it is only around 17 percent, which underlines the social permeability of the agricultural state. This number has never risen above 21 percent in the last forty years, making Switzerland a positive exception while social inequality is increasing in many other countries. Nau.ch reports that IWP researchers analyzed siblings' incomes to examine family influence on social mobility.

What is particularly striking is that around 85 percent of income in Switzerland can be attributed to the skills and commitment of individuals. In comparison, Germany has a family influence of 43 percent, Denmark 20 percent and the USA 49 percent. This illustrates the high level of social permeability in Switzerland, an aspect that is crucial for equal opportunities. In this regard, the nationality and marital status of the parents also play a minor role in individual success. The public education system has proven to be a central element that promotes this equal opportunity and thus enables every person to fully develop their potential, regardless of their starting conditions NZZ explained.

Social mobility factors

A deeper analysis shows that family background explains only 15 percent of the income differences in Switzerland, while the majority is due to external factors. This indicates that over 90 percent of family influence cannot be explained by discussed deterministic factors such as nationality or place of residence. The study also highlights that other beneficial elements, such as the dual education system and early childhood support, play an important role in increasing social permeability.

The analysis of the siblings also helped to develop a better understanding of the influence of the family environment on success. A low connection between parents and children is an indicator of high social mobility. However, one preliminary finding remains unclear: What exactly are the factors that account for the remaining 15 percent of family influence? These questions are of enormous importance for assessing equal opportunities in Switzerland and its future developments.