Empowering Sustainable Development Through Social Mobility: Insights from Lithuania

Abstract

This article examines intergenerational social mobility as a driver of sustainable development on the case of Lithuania, a country in Eastern Europe. Using data from the European Social Survey (2020), the analysis explores how parental education and occupation shape individual educational and occupational outcomes. Descriptive, correlational, and regression analyses reveal that while structural mobility has been facilitated by Lithuania’s transition from Soviet rule to a market economy and subsequent European integration, family background remains a decisive factor. The study also highlights the key factors that promote or constrain social mobility in contemporary Lithuania. The interaction between mothers’ and fathers’ education fosters the attainment of higher levels of education, whereas mothers’ occupational status and respondents’ gender (male) appear to limit it. Similarly, the achievement of a higher occupational level is positively influenced by the interaction between parental education and the respondent’s own highest educational attainment, while negatively influenced by gender. These findings demonstrate that education not only determines social mobility but also supports the broader objectives of sustainable development by reducing inequality, fostering human capital, and advancing gender equality. The results underscore the importance of inclusive social policies that ensure equitable access to quality education and align educational opportunities with labor market demands, thereby reinforcing social mobility as a foundation for long-term social resilience and sustainability.