How does information about inequality shape voting intentions and preferences for redistribution? Evidence from a randomized survey experiment in Indonesia

Christopher Hoy, Russell Toth and Nurina Merdikawati

Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), 2024, vol. 112, issue C

Abstract: We test the elasticity of people's voting intentions and preferences for redistribution to information about inequality through a large-scale, randomised survey experiment in Indonesia. Respondents received information about either (1) the level of national inequality, (2) the level of national inequality in combination with the degree of intergenerational mobility, (3) their position in the national income distribution, or no information. The first two treatments raised people's concern about inequality and mobility. The first treatment also increased the likelihood they would vote against the President. The third treatment lowered richer respondents’ support for redistribution. These findings provide new insights about the challenges of increasing public support for government-led redistribution, such as tax increases and greater spending on social protection, in middle-income country settings.

Keywords: Inequality; Redistribution; Voting; Political economy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D31 D63 D72 D83 P16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Working Paper: How does Information about Inequality Shape Voting Intentions and Preferences for Redistribution? Evidence from a Randomized Survey Experiment in Indonesia (2020)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:soceco:v:112:y:2024:i:c:s2214804324001113

DOI: 10.1016/j.socec.2024.102274

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