Testing the modernization hypothesis and the socialist ideology hypothesis: a comparative sibling analysis of educational attainment and occupational status

Inge Sieben, Paul M. de Graaf

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Abstract

In this study, we present a comparative sibling analysis. This enables us to test two major social mobility hypotheses, i.e. the modernization hypothesis and the socialist ideology hypothesis. We employ survey data on brothers in England, Hungary, the Netherlands, Scotland, Spain, and the USA, covering a historical period from 1916 till 1990. Results show that the effects of parental social class on educational attainment are smaller in technologically advanced societies, and that the effects of parental social class on occupational status are smaller in socialdemocratic and communist societies. In addition, the total family impact on occupational status declines with modernization. But overall, we observe that the family of origin has not lost its importance for its sons’ educational attainment and occupational status yet.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)441
Number of pages1
JournalBritish Journal of Sociology
Volume52
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2001

Keywords

  • comparative research
  • sibling analysis
  • status attainment
  • Social stratification

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