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Movement in the Social Hierarchy in the Age of Transformation: People's Perceptions in Post-Communist Countries

stmm. 2020 (4): 23-42

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/sociology2020.04.023

LINA MALYSH,

Doctor of Sciences in Sociology, Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology, National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy (8/5, Voloska St., Kyiv, 04070)

malysh.lina@ukma.edu.ua

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3155-3209

The article analyzes how people evaluate the changes in their position in the social hierarchy. The main research attention is focused on post-communist countries which exemplify the transition from one social order to another. The list of these post-communist countries was as follows: Bulgaria (N = 1000), Estonia (N = 1000), Latvia (N = 1069), Lithuania (N = 1023), Poland (N = 1263), Russia (N = 1603), Slovakia (N = 1159), Slovenia (N = 1065), Hungary (N = 1010), Ukraine (N = 2012), Croatia (N = 1201), the Czech Republic (N = 1205).

Based on the questions from the Social Inequality-IV module of the International Social Survey Programme two types of people's perception of their mobility were identified: subjective social mobility and intergenerational movement on the social ladder. Subjective social mobility measured as a level of status of respondents’ current job compared to the status of their father's job when the respondent was a teenager. Intergenerational movement in the social ladder was considered as the difference between respondent’s self-positioning on the social ladder and his/her ideas about the position of the family of his origin on this ladder. Also, the direction and distance of both types of movement in the social hierarchy were measured.

As a result, the differences in stratification profiles based on distributions of the respondent’s position on the social ladder and that of their parents were shown. In a large majority of nations, people moved down on the social ladder. The exceptions were Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland.

In general, the proportion of people who have experienced upward subjective mobility exceeded the proportion of those who have risen the social ladder. Distances of both types of movement in the social space were moderate. Subjective mobility and intergenerational movement in the social ladder did not correlate too much. The correlation between the variables was strongest in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Methodological features of indicators of both types of movement in social space are outlined, but more accurate description of their measuring limits requires further empirical exploration.

Full article: ukr | rus

Keywords: social inequality, post-communist countries, position on the social ladder, subjective social mobility

References

Adair, S. (2001). Immeasurable Differences: A Critique of the Measures of Class and Status Used in the General Social Survey. Humanity & Society, 25 (1), 57–84. https://doi.org/10.1177/016059760102500105

Bar-Haim, E. (2018). Still Great: Subjective Intergenerational Mobility and Income Inequality. Comparative Sociology, 17(5), 496–518. https://doi.org/10.1163/15691330-12341473

Clark, A. E. (2003). Inequality-Aversion and Income Mobility: A Direct Test. CNRS and DELTA. Fédération Jourdan Working Paper, 2003–11. Paris: École Normale Supérieure, Département et Laboratoire d’Economie Théorique et Appliquée. Retrieved from: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=...

Duru-Bellat, M., Kieffer, A. (2008). Objective/subjective: The two facets of social mobility. Sociologie du travail, 50, e1–e18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soctra.2008.07.001

Engelhardt, C., Wagener, A. (2014). Biased Perceptions of Income Inequality and Redistribution (June 12, 2014). In: CESifo Working Paper Series No 4838. Retrieved from: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2463129

Evans, M. D. R., Kelley, J. (2004). Subjective Social Locations: Data from 21 Nations. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 16(1), 3–38.

Ferrer-i-Carbonell, A. (2005). Income and Well-Being: An Empirical Analysis of the Comparison Income Effect. Journal of Public Economics, 89 (5–6), 997–1019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2004.06.003

Gimpelson, V., Treisman, D. (2015). Misperceiving Inequality. NBER Working Paper No 21174. Cambridge, Mass: National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).

Gugushvili, A. (2016). Intergenerational Objective and Subjective Mobility and Attitudes Towards Income Differences: Evidence from Transition Societies. Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy, 32 (3), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/21699763.2016.1206482

Kelley, S.M.C., Kelley, C.G.E. (2009). Subjective Social Mobility: Data From 30 Nations. In: M. Haller, R. Jowell, T. Smith (Eds.), Charting the Globe: The International Social Survey Programme 1984–2009 (pp. 106–124). London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203880050

Malysh, L. (2012). The Rate of Ukrainians’ (Non)Confidence in Institutions and Officials. [In Ukrainian]. Sociology: Theory, Methods, Marketing, 2, 35–52. [= Малиш 2012]

Malysh, L. (2019). Principles and Rules of Measurement of Structural Inequalities in Sociology. [In Ukrainian]. Kyiv: NaUKMA. [= Малиш 2019]

Niehues, J. (2014). Subjective Perceptions of Inequality and Redistributive Preferences: An International Comparison. Discussion paper, Cologne Institute for Economic Research. Retrieved from: http://www.ecineq.org/ecineq_nyc17/FILESx2017/CR2/...

Oksamytna, S. (2010). Subjective Perception of Social Mobility: International Research Experience and Trends in Ukraine. [In Ukrainian]. NaUKMA Research Papers. Sociology, 109, 5–12. [= Оксамитна 2010]

Oksamytna, S. (2011). Intergenerational class and educational mobility. [In Ukrainian]. Kyiv: NaUKMA, Ahrar Media Hrup. [= Оксамитна 2011]

Oksamytna, S., Stukalo, S. (2013). Subjective Social Mobility in Comparative Perspective. [In Ukrainian]. In: M. Shulha (Ed.), Ukrainian Society 1992–2013. State and dynamics of change. Sociological monitoring (pp. 198–206). Kyiv: Institute of Sociology, NAS of Ukraine. [= Оксамитна, Стукало 2013]

Sosnaud, B., Brady, D., Frenk, S. M. (2013). Class in Name Only: Subjective Class Identity, Objective Class Position, and Vote Choice in American Presidential Elections. Social Problems, 60 (1), 81–99. https://doi.org/10.1525/sp.2013.60.1.81

Vlachova, K., Rehakova, B. (1995). Subjective Mobility after 1989: Do People Feel a Social and Economic Improvement or Relative Deprivation? Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review, 3 (1), 137–155. https://doi.org/10.13060/00380288.1995.31.12.03

Yanai, Y. (2017). Perceived Inequality and Support for Redistribution. Retrieved from: https://ssrn.com/abstract = 2937637

Received 07.08.2020

Movement in the Social Hierarchy in the Age of Transformation: People's Perceptions in Post-Communist Countries

stmm. 2020 (4): 23-42

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/sociology2020.04.023

LINA MALYSH,

Doctor of Sciences in Sociology, Associate Professor at the Department of Sociology, National University of Kyiv Mohyla Academy (8/5, Voloska St., Kyiv, 04070)

malysh.lina@ukma.edu.ua

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3155-3209

The article analyzes how people evaluate the changes in their position in the social hierarchy. The main research attention is focused on post-communist countries which exemplify the transition from one social order to another. The list of these post-communist countries was as follows: Bulgaria (N = 1000), Estonia (N = 1000), Latvia (N = 1069), Lithuania (N = 1023), Poland (N = 1263), Russia (N = 1603), Slovakia (N = 1159), Slovenia (N = 1065), Hungary (N = 1010), Ukraine (N = 2012), Croatia (N = 1201), the Czech Republic (N = 1205).

Based on the questions from the Social Inequality-IV module of the International Social Survey Programme two types of people's perception of their mobility were identified: subjective social mobility and intergenerational movement on the social ladder. Subjective social mobility measured as a level of status of respondents’ current job compared to the status of their father's job when the respondent was a teenager. Intergenerational movement in the social ladder was considered as the difference between respondent’s self-positioning on the social ladder and his/her ideas about the position of the family of his origin on this ladder. Also, the direction and distance of both types of movement in the social hierarchy were measured.

As a result, the differences in stratification profiles based on distributions of the respondent’s position on the social ladder and that of their parents were shown. In a large majority of nations, people moved down on the social ladder. The exceptions were Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Poland.

In general, the proportion of people who have experienced upward subjective mobility exceeded the proportion of those who have risen the social ladder. Distances of both types of movement in the social space were moderate. Subjective mobility and intergenerational movement in the social ladder did not correlate too much. The correlation between the variables was strongest in Poland and the Czech Republic.

Methodological features of indicators of both types of movement in social space are outlined, but more accurate description of their measuring limits requires further empirical exploration.

Full article: ukr | rus

Keywords: social inequality, post-communist countries, position on the social ladder, subjective social mobility

References

Adair, S. (2001). Immeasurable Differences: A Critique of the Measures of Class and Status Used in the General Social Survey. Humanity & Society, 25 (1), 57–84. https://doi.org/10.1177/016059760102500105

Bar-Haim, E. (2018). Still Great: Subjective Intergenerational Mobility and Income Inequality. Comparative Sociology, 17(5), 496–518. https://doi.org/10.1163/15691330-12341473

Clark, A. E. (2003). Inequality-Aversion and Income Mobility: A Direct Test. CNRS and DELTA. Fédération Jourdan Working Paper, 2003–11. Paris: École Normale Supérieure, Département et Laboratoire d’Economie Théorique et Appliquée. Retrieved from: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=...

Duru-Bellat, M., Kieffer, A. (2008). Objective/subjective: The two facets of social mobility. Sociologie du travail, 50, e1–e18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soctra.2008.07.001

Engelhardt, C., Wagener, A. (2014). Biased Perceptions of Income Inequality and Redistribution (June 12, 2014). In: CESifo Working Paper Series No 4838. Retrieved from: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2463129

Evans, M. D. R., Kelley, J. (2004). Subjective Social Locations: Data from 21 Nations. International Journal of Public Opinion Research, 16(1), 3–38.

Ferrer-i-Carbonell, A. (2005). Income and Well-Being: An Empirical Analysis of the Comparison Income Effect. Journal of Public Economics, 89 (5–6), 997–1019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpubeco.2004.06.003

Gimpelson, V., Treisman, D. (2015). Misperceiving Inequality. NBER Working Paper No 21174. Cambridge, Mass: National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER).

Gugushvili, A. (2016). Intergenerational Objective and Subjective Mobility and Attitudes Towards Income Differences: Evidence from Transition Societies. Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy, 32 (3), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/21699763.2016.1206482

Kelley, S.M.C., Kelley, C.G.E. (2009). Subjective Social Mobility: Data From 30 Nations. In: M. Haller, R. Jowell, T. Smith (Eds.), Charting the Globe: The International Social Survey Programme 1984–2009 (pp. 106–124). London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203880050

Malysh, L. (2012). The Rate of Ukrainians’ (Non)Confidence in Institutions and Officials. [In Ukrainian]. Sociology: Theory, Methods, Marketing, 2, 35–52. [= Малиш 2012]

Malysh, L. (2019). Principles and Rules of Measurement of Structural Inequalities in Sociology. [In Ukrainian]. Kyiv: NaUKMA. [= Малиш 2019]

Niehues, J. (2014). Subjective Perceptions of Inequality and Redistributive Preferences: An International Comparison. Discussion paper, Cologne Institute for Economic Research. Retrieved from: http://www.ecineq.org/ecineq_nyc17/FILESx2017/CR2/...

Oksamytna, S. (2010). Subjective Perception of Social Mobility: International Research Experience and Trends in Ukraine. [In Ukrainian]. NaUKMA Research Papers. Sociology, 109, 5–12. [= Оксамитна 2010]

Oksamytna, S. (2011). Intergenerational class and educational mobility. [In Ukrainian]. Kyiv: NaUKMA, Ahrar Media Hrup. [= Оксамитна 2011]

Oksamytna, S., Stukalo, S. (2013). Subjective Social Mobility in Comparative Perspective. [In Ukrainian]. In: M. Shulha (Ed.), Ukrainian Society 1992–2013. State and dynamics of change. Sociological monitoring (pp. 198–206). Kyiv: Institute of Sociology, NAS of Ukraine. [= Оксамитна, Стукало 2013]

Sosnaud, B., Brady, D., Frenk, S. M. (2013). Class in Name Only: Subjective Class Identity, Objective Class Position, and Vote Choice in American Presidential Elections. Social Problems, 60 (1), 81–99. https://doi.org/10.1525/sp.2013.60.1.81

Vlachova, K., Rehakova, B. (1995). Subjective Mobility after 1989: Do People Feel a Social and Economic Improvement or Relative Deprivation? Sociologický časopis / Czech Sociological Review, 3 (1), 137–155. https://doi.org/10.13060/00380288.1995.31.12.03

Yanai, Y. (2017). Perceived Inequality and Support for Redistribution. Retrieved from: https://ssrn.com/abstract = 2937637

Received 07.08.2020

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