Absolute versus relative inequality and social preferences: A comparative study between Mozambique and Viet Nam

Ines A. Ferreira, Rachel M. Gisselquist and Finn Tarp

No wp-2025-24, WIDER Working Paper Series from World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER)

Abstract: Knowledge of the factors driving people's views on redistribution in the Global South remains limited. While these societies occupy top positions in inequality rankings, redistribution levels tend to be lower. We combine survey and experimental data from Mozambique and Viet Nam to test whether redistributive preferences vary depending on the source of inequality, focusing on two channels: fairness views and communication. First, we confirm that inequality resulting from differences in merit is more accepted than inequality due to luck or factors outside of individual control.

Keywords: Inequality; Altruism; Mozambique; Viet Nam; Redistribution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp, nep-sea and nep-tra
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