Explaining inequality tolerance in the lab: effects of political efficacy and prospects of mobility on collective demand for redistribution.

ABSTRACT: The low public demand for redistribution despite growing economic inequality has been characterized as a paradox especially for disadvantaged individuals. One prominent explanation for people's tolerance to growing inequality posits that increased optimism about prospects of upward mobility undermines support for redistribution. A less explored explanation postulates that low political efficacy of disadvantaged individuals to enact meaningful change erodes collective demand for redistribution. In two preregistered experiments, we create a dynamic environment where low-income individuals collectively demand income redistribution by contributing to a public pool (collective action strategy), compete with each other for high-income group positions (individual mobility strategy), or avoid risk

SUBMITTER: Lois G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10517979 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature