Technical change, earnings inequality, and social mobility

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A society’s distribution of labor earnings reflects its economic well-being, warranting deeper investigation. Two main strands in the literature address the causes and consequences of labor earnings inequality. The first focuses on intragenerational inequality, which examines the dispersion of labor earnings at a specific time. The second, of longstanding interest to sociologists and economists, explores the persistence of earnings inequality among different families, classes, castes, or income groups, known as intergenerational social mobility. This literature posits that the assessment of inequality at any given moment is influenced by the degree of intergenerational mobility; higher mobility makes inequality more socially acceptable, as individuals have better chances to ascend or descend the income ladder. This thesis enhances the understanding of earnings inequality, addressing both intragenerational and intergenerational aspects. The introductory chapter provides an overview of the main findings from both research lines and illustrates how the contributions of the subsequent chapters fit into this broader discourse on earnings inequality.