Ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to succeed in life, independently of their background, is a fundamental promise of our democracies. It also contributes to stronger economic growth and innovation while fostering social cohesion and a shared sense of citizenship. Conversely, when inherited circumstances create barriers to education, jobs or entrepreneurial opportunities, talent is wasted, resources are misallocated, and opportunities are left unrealised at great cost to individuals and society more broadly.
To Have and Have Not – How to Bridge the Gap in Opportunities is the latest in a series of OECD reports on equality of opportunity – and the first to be released under the Observatory on Social Mobility and Equal Opportunity which the OECD created in 2022. It provides an overview of the state of opportunities in OECD countries, as measured for market income, and how they are distributed across the population.
On average, the report finds that over a quarter of total disparities in market income can be attributed to circumstances and factors that are beyond an individual’s control such as sex, place of birth and parental socio-economic background. These results suggest that some economic advantages and disadvantages are inherited rather than the result of individual effort and talent.
Looking at recent trends for the OECD as a whole, the report observes a slight decrease in equality of opportunity on average. At country-level, however, the data show that top performers are exhibiting a decline while countries with lower equality of opportunity are improving.
The comparison between trends in income inequality and in equality of opportunity suggests that, over the past 15 years, policies may have been more effective in reducing disparities in outcomes than in addressing long-term barriers to equality of opportunity, with implied risks for future social mobility and economic growth.
Disparities in opportunities have many causes and can emerge throughout the life cycle. Where a person grows up has an essential and lasting influence on their life chances. Students in rural areas, for example, systematically underperform their peers in urban areas and tend to experience a more challenging school-to-work transition. Significant regional gaps also remain in terms of access to health services, internet and public transport. Bridging these gaps will require a broad and balanced range of policies.
This report helps pave the way for more comprehensive efforts to promote equality of opportunity by highlighting the need for effective policies that (i) promote greater access to the key drivers of economic opportunities, such as education and training, employment and essential services; (ii) increase the availability of opportunities by fostering economic dynamism; and (iii) ensure opportunities are more evenly distributed across territories by reducing geographic disparities.
Renewed efforts to ensure a more level playing field will help individuals pursue their aspirations, and unlock the full talent and potential in our societies for a more prosperous and inclusive future.
Mathias Cormann,
OECD Secretary-General