Citizen support for the Welfare State: Determinants of preferences for income redistribution

Philipp Rehm

Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Institutions, States, Markets from WZB Berlin Social Science Center

Abstract: This paper explores the determinants of individual level support for income redistribution by the government. It argues that there are two sources of preference formation when it comes to redistribution. People are either in favor of income redistribution because they are disadvantaged, or they favor redistribution as a means to insure against income shocks. The paper explores both logics, but focuses on the latter. Four risk factors are hypothesizes to influence an individual’s preferences over income redistribution: a) structural change; b) exposure to international competition; c) specificity of skills; and d) occupational unemployment. Some of these measures are novel. The paper relies on the European Social Survey 2002/2003 in order to test the formulated hypotheses. The results show that a) skill specificity and occupational unemployment are important determinants of individual preferences over redistribution whereas b) structural change and exposure to international competition are not.

Keywords: Public Opinion; Preferences; Redistribution; Varieties of Capitalism; Trade; Unemployment; Occupations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D31 D72 E24 H53 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:wzbism:spii200502

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