In this paper, the authors utilize mass genealogical data to measure social mobility in Poland over the last two centuries. To do so, they digitize a unique dataset of elite biographies and imputed nine generations of the Polish elite to Poland’s largest genealogical database. They measure direct family links between the top 0.01% of the Polish society across nine generations. They find that intergenerational mobility was low and stagnant until WW I, then it gradually increased in the 20th century, especially after WWII.
In the 19th century, 35-39% of the elite were direct descendants of the elite of the previous generation and 50% of the elite retained their social status for their children. In 1984, descendants of the previous generation of the elite still formed 17% of the current elite. Family formation strongly influenced the persistence of social status, especially in the case of outsiders, who were the first in their families to join the elite. Outsiders who marry at least twice are much more likely to join the elite family network and retain the social status for their children. Their results also show that religious institutions were an important engine of social mobility.
