The Son Also Rises: Surnames and the History of Social Mobility (The Princeton Economic History of the Western World)
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.46 (555 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0691162549 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 384 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2016-04-29 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Mr. Clark has just disrupted our complacent idea of a socially mobile, democratically fluid society."--Trevor Butterworth, Wall Street Journal"Audacious."--Barbara Kiser, Nature"An important book, and anybody at all interested in inequality and the kind of society we have should read it."--Diane Coyle, Enlightened Economist"The Son Also Rises. Just as Thomas Piketty's Capital in the 21st Century, calls into question the role of capitalism in wealth creation, Clark calls into question the role of capitalism in social mobility."--Theodore Kinni, Strategy+Business"Clark's book is not merely intellectually clever, it's profoundly challenging. Here
. Gregory Clark is professor of economics at the University of California, Davis
Clark examines and compares surnames in such diverse cases as modern Sweden and Qing Dynasty China. Using a novel technique--tracking family names over generations to measure social mobility across countries and periods--renowned economic historian Gregory Clark reveals that mobility rates are lower than conventionally estimated, do not vary across societies, and are resistant to social policies. He demonstrates how fate is determined by ancestry and that almost all societies have similarly low social mobility rates. While it has been argued that rigid class structures have eroded in favor of greater social equality, The Son Also Rises proves that movement on the social ladder has changed little over eight centuries. How much of our fate is tied to the status of our parents and grandparents? How much does it influence our children? More than we wish to believe. Challenging popular assumptions about mobility and revealing the deeply entrenched force of inherited advantage, The Son Also Rises is sure to prompt intense debate for years to come.
Brad Foley said Fascinating, but the results need to be interpreted with caution. [major edit: I spent a couple days working through the math, and checking it with my own simulations, and have convinced myself that my earlier mathematical reservations were completely wrong. I've changed the review to reflect that]The "Son Also Rises" was a fascinating read that seems likely to provoke controversy, but also. Very interesting analysis. However, Clark's hypothesis about slower Jeff Nash Very interesting analysis. However, Clark's hypothesis about slower social mobility than conventional measures show is restricted to the methodology he cleverly employs. That methodology excludes a variety of ways that people move about within a stratification system. Still, his meticulous and overwhelming data contribute to . Stanley said Witty Title with Great Primary Research. Seven other reviews have preceded mine so I won't attempt to till plowed ground. Interestingly enough Clark begins his book by absolving the graduate students and paid research assistant who helped him in his research. Why do that? Here is the summary from book's end, "Most likely .the majority of status is actually genetical