Going beyond inequality: The macro-level origins of redistributive preferences among income groups

This article explores the macro-origins of redistributive preferences across income groups. While traditional political economy models focus primarily on the role of inequality, our study broadens this perspective by integrating both economic conditions and the institutional context into the proposed explanatory framework. Using a novel time-series cross-sectional design, we examine trends in support for redistribution amongst different income groups across seven European democracies between 1980 and 2017. Our findings reveal distinct patterns of public responsiveness: lower-income groups increase their support for redistribution in response to rising inequality, whereas middle- and higher-income groups are more sensitive to governments’ ideological orientation. Additionally, we observe that economic downturns are associated with declining support for redistribution across all income groups. By uncovering these macro-level patterns and their theoretical implications, our study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of the diverse dynamics that shape redistributive preferences in advanced democracies. These findings have important implications for the political sustainability of welfare states, as they illuminate how asymmetrical responses to economic and political conditions across income groups shape the prospects for solidarity and social cohesion in times of economic stress.