Political Polarization, Wage Inequality and Preferences for Redistribution

Christopher Hoy (), Lionel Page, Catherine Eckel and Philip Grossman
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Christopher Hoy: Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne, https://findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/profile/1126282-christopher-hoy
Lionel Page: University of Queensland
Catherine Eckel: Texas A&M University
Philip Grossman: Monash University

Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series from Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne

Abstract: Using nationally representative, randomized survey experiments, we investigate how beliefs about wage inequality impact preferences for redistribution. With more than 9,000 respondents in six high-income countries and a novel distribution builder tool, we elicit detailed beliefs about wage inequality and examine the impact of accurate information on support for redistribution. We find most respondents underestimate wage inequality and that information treatments have minimal effects, except for re spondents on the far-right, who exhibit large increases in support for higher income taxes and social spending. Our findings suggest that far-right voters’ attitudes toward redistribution may be more malleable than is often assumed.

Keywords: Political Economy; Public Finance; Inequality; Randomized Experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D04 D80 D90 H20 H30 H50 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 58pp
Date: 2025-08
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp, nep-inv and nep-ltv
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:iae:iaewps:wp2025n08

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