Lessons from Denmark about Inequality and Social Mobility

Arbeitspapier

Many American policy analysts point to Denmark as a model welfare state with low levels of income inequality and high levels of income mobility across generations. It has in place many social policies now advocated for adoption in the U.S. Despite generous Danish social policies, family influence on important child outcomes in Denmark is about as strong as it is in the United States. More advantaged families are better able to access, utilize, and influence universally available programs. Purposive sorting by levels of family advantage create neighborhood effects. Powerful forces not easily mitigated by Danish-style welfare state programs operate in both countries.

Show object

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 14185

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Publicly Provided Goods: Mixed Markets ; Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies; includes inheritance and gift taxes ; Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure; Domestic Abuse ; Demographic Economics: Public Policy
• Subject: family influence ; social mobility ; inequality ; power of place

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Heckman, James J. ; Landerso, Rasmus
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2021

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/236216