JOURNAL ARTICLE

The "Golden Age of Social Mobility" in Postwar Europe: Class Relations, Educational Expansion, and Political Stability in East and West.

  • Published In: Journal of Social History, 2026, v. 59, n. 3. P. 565 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Graaf, Jan De 3 of 3

Abstract

This article examines the "golden age of social mobility" in postwar continental Europe from the mid-1940s to the early 1970s, integrating experiences from both communist Eastern and capitalist Western Europe. It highlights that social mobility primarily benefited the urban middle class and rural migrants, while the industrial working class gained less, with educational expansion reinforcing middle-class advantages and undermining traditional working-class training. The article also challenges the assumption that high social mobility uniformly supported postwar political stability, showing that state-driven social engineering often met societal resistance and produced social tensions. Ultimately, it argues for a nuanced understanding of social mobility's role in shaping class relations and democratic legitimacy across Europe during this period.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of Social History. 2026/03, Vol. 59, Issue 3, p565
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Publication Date:2026
  • ISSN:0022-4529
  • DOI:10.1093/jsh/shaf039
  • Accession Number:192099696
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