The structure of classes in Uruguay, 1963-1996: a structural-historical perspective

This paper focuses on selected analytical aspects of social mobility from a structural-historical perspective, which provide important inputs for our broader research on intergenerational individual social mobility in Uruguay. We present the results of a structural-historical analysis of social classes in Uruguay during the second half of the twentieth century, based on census data on the Economically Active Population (EAP) from 1963, 1975, 1985, and 1996. Social classes are classified using Torrado's scheme and harmonized with the structural perspective proposed by Filgueira and Geneletti (FG). While acknowledging the contributions of Terra, Errandonea, and Bazzi, this study examines the period 1963-1996 in greater depth, assessing the implications of several hypotheses previously formulated by FG. The paper builds on earlier methodological work, which details the harmonization of census microdata, the construction of a unified census database, and the development of a standardized occupational dictionary. Given the broad temporal scope of the analysis, which allows for the assessment of long-term structural hypotheses, we focus on static intertemporal contrasts for reasons of analytical clarity and conceptual consistency. Our findings support the following conclusions: (1) the central role of structural transformations and their sectoral effects; (2) the increasing relevance of the service sector-amid agricultural and industrial stagnation-for opportunities for structural social mobility; (3) the growing mismatch between educational attainment and occupational positions; (4) the massive and dual incorporation of women into the EAP; (5) the substantial decline of wage employment and rural occupations; and (6) the unequal use of educational opportunities across social classes, gender, and selected birth cohorts.