The Silver Spoon: Inheritance and the Staggered Start
Authors suggest we think of money as a measure of who gets how much of what there is to
get________.
The ‘race to get ahead’ is in effect a/an _relay race_____. We inherit a starting point in this race
from _our parents_____.
In the ‘race to get ahead’, kids born to rich parents start the race at or near _the finish line____.
In this favorable position, they do not need to demonstrate __merit____ to get ahead; they are
already ahead.
The “American Dream” myth in the U.S., which asserts that people advance in American society
according to their own personal abilities and efforts, is only true for _______.
Comparing the effects of inheritance and individual merit across an individual’s life chances,
which comes first – inheritance or individual merit?
What is “inheritance”?
The term refers to the total impact of initial social-class placement at birth on future life
outcomes. This impact includes the effects of:
1. Childhood quality of life – What are the components of this?
2. Cultural capital – (“Knowing with which fork to eat”) – What does this term refer to?
3. Social capital – (“Having friends in high places”) – What does this term refer to?
4. Early withdrawals from the family estate – What are “inter vivo” transfers of money?
What are the benefits of engaging in these?
Research on social mobility
Mobility studies show much higher rates of upward mobility than downward mobility. 2 key
factors in this:
1. Structural mobility – What does this term refer to?
2. Parental rescue – What does this term refer to?
Relationship between socioeconomic status and health
What is the relationship between socioeconomic status and…
health/life expectancy?
access to quality health care?
risk of developing coronary heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, strokes, psychological
problems, mental illness, etc.?
chronic stress levels?
earning power during working life?
job opportunities in safe vs. unsafe/hazardous work environments?
likelihood of smoking, drinking, drug abuse?
Which occupations entail the greatest risk of being killed on the job?
