The Spanish social elevator runs on surnames, not qualifications

Meritocracy in Spain: studying doesn't help, connections do

A law graduate, after years of public university and a master's degree, searches InfoJobs without success while watching well-connected individuals land coveted positions. His conclusion, shared by many others, is crushing: the 'culture of effort' in Spain is a fraud. The alternative he suggests is equally unsettling: don't study, pass competitive exams (opositar), and if possible, emigrate.

The social mobility ladder only works if you have a surname or connections

The complaint repeats itself: degrees don't open doors; contacts do. Various analyses suggest that the Spanish job market values compound surnames and networks more than education. One comment summarizes this idea: 'without connections or a powerful family name, the social elevator doesn't exist.' In this view, public university merely produces cannon fodder for precarious positions that the well-connected avoid.

The data contradicting pessimism: unemployment falls with education

Against this narrative, the data from the Quarterly Labour Survey (EPA) offers a brutal contrast: unemployment among those with primary education or less is 21.8%; secondary education, 12%; and among graduates, 6.2%. In other words, a university graduate has less than one-third the probability of being unemployed compared to someone with no education. Temporary contracts also decrease: only 23% of those with basic education are on temporary contract, compared to a much lower percentage among graduates. Despite this, the perception that studying doesn't pay persists.

Competitive exams or searching for a dignified future in the civil service

For many, passing competitive exams (opositar) is the only path to social advancement in Spain. The formula some recommend is studying a major for pleasure and, concurrently, preparing for competitive exams to guarantee a dignified future. However, passing these exams also has its caveats: it requires rigorous study and, for certain scales, specific qualifications. And in major cities, the housing factor complicates the equation: living in Madrid or Barcelona on a civil service salary of Group A2 or lower, without owning property, is 'a path to hardship.' The reality of the civil service is not a paradise either: forced transfers, stagnant work environments, or the need to share accommodation in the periphery are common. Even Kafka was a civil servant and, according to legend, died of disgust. It is not a plan that appeals to everyone.

Emigration: the escape valve that doesn't always bring relief

The third major advice is to leave: study abroad and live abroad. But the experience of those who try shows that foreign lands are not a bed of roses. It is noted that class divisions and wealthy backgrounds exist there too, and that northern country salaries do not compensate for the skyrocketing cost of living. The extreme comparison: the difference with Spain is the same as between slavery and paid labor. Nevertheless, for some, it remains the only option if they want to escape a labor market where the private sector is dead.

The data that puzzles: if the social elevator only works with surnames, why do EPA figures show exactly the opposite? The gap between perception and statistic is enormous. Perhaps meritocracy isn't dead, but the perception that it doesn't exist is so strong that it already dictates life choices. Studying may not guarantee a good position, but the numbers say it's better than not studying. Therein lies the paradox.