Relative Intergenerational Mobility: A Normative Framework and Evidence from Indonesia

Olivier Bargain, Maria Lo Bue and Flaviana Palmisano
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Maria Lo Bue: Trieste University
Flaviana Palmisano: Sapienza University, Rome

No 18550, IZA Discussion Papers from IZA Network @ LISER

Abstract: We propose a simple and flexible framework to assess relative intergenerational mobility. The approach defines a dynasty as a parent-child pair, measuring achievement by each individual's rank within their own generational outcome distribution, and mobility by the change in this rank across generations. This measure accommodates both continuous outcomes, such as potential earnings, and discrete or ordinal outcomes, such as education levels. It also allows for dominance characterizations (e.g., the relative progress made by women vs. men) consistent with social references over desirable mobility patterns. We apply the framework to Indonesia using long-panel data linking parents observed in 1993 to their children in 2014. Results show that a large share of the population escaped illiteracy - an instance of absolute mobility possibly driven by major education reforms. However, relative educational mobility was regressive, as dynasties from higher socio-economic backgrounds progressed faster. This pattern limited the overall progressivity of relative earnings mobility. Mobility in both education and potential earnings was markedly more favorable to women.

Keywords: intergenerational mobility; education; earnings; social welfare; gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D6 I2 J6 J62 O12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-04
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Working Paper: Relative Intergenerational Mobility: A Normative Framework and Evidence from Indonesia (2026)
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