SOCIAL MOBILITY AS A FACTOR IN MITIGATION OF ECONOMIC INEQUALITY

In the context of increasing global interdependence and rapid changes in the socio-economic environment, social mobility is a key factor in reducing economic inequality and ensuring sustainable social development. The article provides a comprehensive interdisciplinary analysis based on a synthesis of approaches from economic theory, sociology, institutional economics and research in the field of digitalization, which allows us to deeply reveal the relationship between the level of mobility and the scale of inequality. It is shown that developed vertical and horizontal mobility, supported by effective institutions and innovative technologies, can smooth out structural imbalances in the distribution of income and access to social resources. The mechanisms by which investments in human capital, new social practices and technological platforms expand the possibilities of using “social elevators” are analyzed.