Abstract
People’s preferences for state intervention in social policies vary. A cross-section analysis on individual-level survey data
is conducted here over 33 democracies to highlight the link between the economic position of agents and their specific demand
for redistribution. Controlling for a number of factors usually found to affect individual preferences in the literature,
this article focuses on the role played by the occupational status of individuals in shaping their preferences. Individual
labour market position, as well as family income, is shown to outweigh all other factors shaping preferences for redistribution.
The odds of a manager to oppose redistributive policies are increased by 40%, as compared to those of an office clerk, for
instance. Moreover, individuals’ perception of personal mobility plays an important role: the odds of holding more positive
attitudes towards redistribution are up by 32% for people who think they experienced a downward mobility within the last ten
years. Evidence is also found for the fact that the political regime may have a long lasting effect on collective preferences:
living in former-East Germany doubles the odds of holding positive attitudes towards redistribution, as compared to living
in West Germany. Finally, the research presented here identifies which socio-political groups may be formed on the basis of
their preferences for redistribution.
is conducted here over 33 democracies to highlight the link between the economic position of agents and their specific demand
for redistribution. Controlling for a number of factors usually found to affect individual preferences in the literature,
this article focuses on the role played by the occupational status of individuals in shaping their preferences. Individual
labour market position, as well as family income, is shown to outweigh all other factors shaping preferences for redistribution.
The odds of a manager to oppose redistributive policies are increased by 40%, as compared to those of an office clerk, for
instance. Moreover, individuals’ perception of personal mobility plays an important role: the odds of holding more positive
attitudes towards redistribution are up by 32% for people who think they experienced a downward mobility within the last ten
years. Evidence is also found for the fact that the political regime may have a long lasting effect on collective preferences:
living in former-East Germany doubles the odds of holding positive attitudes towards redistribution, as compared to living
in West Germany. Finally, the research presented here identifies which socio-political groups may be formed on the basis of
their preferences for redistribution.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-22
- DOI 10.1007/s10888-011-9205-0
- Authors
- Elvire Guillaud, Centre d’Economie de la Sorbonne, University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, 106-112 boulevard de l’Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
- Journal Journal of Economic Inequality
- Online ISSN 1573-8701
- Print ISSN 1569-1721