16: Mobility or Persistence? The Economics of Liberalism

Equality of opportunity is the founding principle of the Liberal school of thought in economics. Inequality can therefore only be justified insofar as it is combined with societal “permeability”. The question of social mobility therefore lies at the heart of any discussion on inequality from a liberal point of view. This seminar aims to provide students with a basic knowledge of strengths and weaknesses of empirical studies on social mobility. Further it aims to provide room for discussions on different viewpoints regarding the desirability of policies that increase social permeability.