To Have and Have Not – How to Bridge the Gap in Opportunities
Over several decades, the OECD has documented the trends, drivers and consequences of inequality in outcomes, as well as the policies for addressing them. In the landmark 2018 report A Broken Social Elevator?, it examined effective ways to promote social mobility. However, people do not only care about outcomes and mobility. They also care about the process through which outcomes are achieved and the extent to which everyone is given a fair chance to succeed in life.
To Have and Have Not makes another important contribution to the research and policy agenda by looking at opportunities and how they are distributed across societies. To do so, it applies an innovative methodology to measure the extent to which outcomes are shaped by inherited factors and other circumstances beyond an individual’s control. The report explores how the role and influence of these circumstances differ across countries and population groups. It also provides a detailed focus on the relations between opportunities and “place” through an analysis of geographic disparities in access to education, employment and essential services. Finally, it identifies various policy options and interventions that can help ensure a more level playing field for all.
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