Welfare Flashcards
Evidence that income related to demand for redistribution
Finseraas (2009)
- Data - individual-level data from European Social Survey (22 countries)
- Demand for redistribution decreases as income increases
Evidence that labour market risk related to demand for redistribution
- Iversen and Soskice (2009) - individuals w/greater labour market risk more likely to support more social spending and welfare state generosity
- Rehm (2011) – individuals w/greater risk of losing job more likely to demand higher unemployment benefits
Finseraas (2009)
Demand for redistribution decreases as income increases
Iversen and Soskice (2009)
Individuals w/greater labour market risk more likely to support more social spending and welfare state generosity
Rehm (2011)
Individuals w/greater risk of losing job more likely to demand higher unemployment benefits
Rehm, Hacker and Schlesinger (2012)
- Both redistribution AND social insurance demands for welfare supported at individual-level
- Overall support for generous welfare states explained by correlation between labour market risk and low incomes
(a) High correlation – both groups broadly same people and overall electoral support for generous social welfare low
(b) Low correlation – 2 groups overlap less and support for generous social welfare is greater
Evidence that the structure of the income distribution affects support for welfare states
Lupu and Pontusson (2011)
1a. Social distance = key determinant of redistribution preferences
1b. Income = good proxy for social distance in absence of cross-cutting ethnic cleavages
- Theory – social distance/affinity impacts ability to empathise with (and hence support for redistribution to) certain groups
- Empirical evidence - middle-income voters empathise w/poor and support redistribution when income distance between middle/poor small relative to distance between middle/rich (w/o cross-cutting ethnic cleavages)
Evidence that racial fractionalisation affects support for welfare states
Eger (2010)
Sweden:
- Clear evidence that ethnic heterogeneity negatively affects support for social welfare spending
- Recent immigration had negative impact on support for universal welfare spending
Alesina and Glaeser (2004)
- ETHNIC PERCEPTIONS:
(i) When minority ethnic groups perceived to be disproportionately poor, support for redistribution depressed - ETHNIC FRACTIONALISATION:
(i) Differences in ethnic fractionalisation explain 1/4 of US/European differences in welfare generosity
(ii) Racial fragmentation interfered w/formation of unified socialist party in US - BELIEFS:
(i) Correlation between belief that luck determines income and social welfare spending - POLITICAL SYSTEM:
(i) PR systems associated w/larger transfer spending in OECD
(ii) Proportionality (measure of % of average district’s vote needed to win seat) accounts for ~1/2 of US/European differences in welfare generosity
Eger (2010)
Ethnic heterogeneity and support for welfare spending
- Clear evidence in Sweden that ethnic heterogeneity negatively affects support for social welfare spending
- recent immigration had negative impact on support for universal welfare spending
Lupu and Pontusson (2011)
Structure of income distribution affects support for redistribution
- social distance = key determinant of redistribution preferences
- income a good proxy in absence of cross-cutting ethnic cleavages
- Empirical evidence – w/o cross-cutting ethnic cleavages, middle-income voters will empathise w/poor and support redistribution when income distance between middle/poor small relative to distance between middle/rich
Theory - why social distance/affinity impacts support for redistribution
social distance/affinity impacts ability to empathise with (and hence support for redistribution to) certain groups
Dimick, Rueda and Stegmueller (2018)
Altruism and support for redistribution
- Test several different approaches in which support for welfare/redistribution determined by altruism related to income inequality
- Finding – support for ‘income-dependent altruism’ hypothesis, which predicts:
(1) as inequality level increases, both rich and poor have stronger pro-redistribution preferences
(2) rich more responsive to changes in inequality - Main determinant of welfare state support = individual utility and self-interested reasons for welfare state support remain most important
Evidence that altruism explains some support for welfare states/redistribution
- Dimick, Rueda and Stegmueller (2018)
A. Finding – support for ‘income-dependent altruism’ hypothesis, which predicts:
(i) as inequality level increases, both rich and poor have stronger pro-redistribution preferences
(ii) rich more responsive to changes in inequality
(iii) Main determinant of welfare state support = self-interest
- Rueda (2017)
A. Material self-interest = most important factor shaping poor’s redistribution preferences (who consistently support redistribution)
B. Rich can ‘afford to be altruistic’ and support redistribution, conditional on identity of the poor (due to social identity theory, in/out groups)
Beramendi and Rehm (2016)
Policy feedback - progressivity and redistribution preferences
- Strength of association between income and support for redistribution varies significantly cross-nationally
- Progressivity of tax/transfer system = major determinant of this variation
(a) more progressive - income more strongly predicts redistribution preferences because ‘who gets what’ conflict increases
Evidence for policy feedback as explanation of cross-national variation in support for welfare states
- Beramendi and Rehm (2016)
(a) progressivity of tax/transfer system = major determinant of predictive power of income on redistribution preferences across different countries - Gingrich and Ansell (2012)
(a) individual risk much less important determinant of welfare state preferences in countries with:
(i) high employment protection
(ii) welfare benefits not dependent on employment status
Gingrich and Ansell (2012)
Policy feedback - employment protection and welfare benefits
- Individual risk much less important determinant of welfare state preferences in countries with:
(i) high employment protection
(ii) welfare benefits not dependent on employment status
Evidence that perceptions of ethnic minorities impact support for redistribution
Alesina and Glaeser (2004) – when minority ethnic groups perceived to be disproportionately poor, support for redistribution depressed
Why do Beramendi and Rehm (2016) argue that cross-national variation in strength with which income predicts redistribution support explained by progressivity of tax system?
a) more progressive - income more strongly predicts redistribution preferences because ‘who gets what’ conflict increases
(b) less progressive - more overlap between tax contributions and receipts, so redistribution struggles less salient
Is self-interest or altruism a stronger motivation for welfare state support?
Dimick, Rueda and Stegmueller (2018)
Main determinant of welfare state support = individual utility and self-interested reasons for welfare state support remain most important
Evidence for multi-dimensionality of redistribution preferences
- Trumpy and Cavaille (2014)
A. Strong support for multi-dimensional framework
(i) Self-interested motive – redistribution support as beneficiary ‘from rich’
(ii) Other-oriented motive – redistribution support as contributor ‘to poor’
- Rueda (2017)
A. Material self-interest = most important factor shaping poor’s redistribution preferences (who consistently support redistribution)
B. Rich can ‘afford to be altruistic’ and support redistribution, conditional on identity of the poor (due to social identity theory, in/out groups)
Trumpy and Cavaille (2014)
MULTI-DIMENSIONALITY OF REDISTRIBUTION PREFERENCES
- Dichotomy of self-interests vs altruistic motivations for redistribution attitudes = wrong
- Strong support for multi-dimensional framework
(i) Self-interested motive – redistribution support as beneficiary ‘from rich’
(ii) Other-oriented motive – redistribution support as contributor ‘to poor’
Evidence for interaction between welfare state generosity and voter turnout?
Franzese (2002)
Franzese (2002)
Positive interaction between welfare state generosity and voter turnout
When minority ethnic groups perceived to be disproportionately poor, support for redistribution depressed
Alesina and Glaeser (2004)
Is self-interest or altruism a stronger motivation for welfare state support?
Dimick, Rueda and Stegmueller (2018)
Main determinant of welfare state support = individual utility and self-interested reasons for welfare state support remain most important
Rueda (2017)
MATERIAL-SELF INTEREST + OTHER-REGARDING REDISTRIBUTION PREFERENCES
- Material self-interest = most important factor shaping poor’s redistribution preferences (who consistently support redistribution)
- Rich can ‘afford to be altruistic’ and support redistribution, conditional on identity of the poor (due to social identity theory, in/out groups)
3a. Group homogeneity magnifies importance of altruism for rich
3b. Group heterogeneity limits importance of altruism for rich
MATERIAL-SELF INTEREST + OTHER-REGARDING REDISTRIBUTION PREFERENCES
- Material self-interest = most important factor shaping poor’s redistribution preferences (who consistently support redistribution)
- Rich can ‘afford to be altruistic’ and support redistribution, conditional on identity of the poor (due to social identity theory, in/out groups)
3a. Group homogeneity magnifies importance of altruism for rich
3b. Group heterogeneity limits importance of altruism for rich
Rueda (2017)
- ETHNIC PERCEPTIONS:
(i) When minority ethnic groups perceived to be disproportionately poor, support for redistribution depressed - ETHNIC FRACTIONALISATION:
(i) Differences in ethnic fractionalisation explain 1/4 of US/European differences in welfare generosity
(ii) Racial fragmentation interfered w/formation of unified socialist party in US - BELIEFS:
(i) Correlation between belief that luck determines income and social welfare spending - POLITICAL SYSTEM:
(i) PR systems associated w/larger transfer spending in OECD
(ii) Proportionality (measure of % of average district’s vote needed to win seat) accounts for ~1/2 of US/European differences in welfare generosity
Alesina and Glaeser (2004)
ETHNIC FRACTIONALISATION
AND WELFARE GENEROSITY
(i) Differences in ethnic fractionalisation explain 1/4 of US/European differences in welfare generosity
(ii) Racial fragmentation interfered w/formation of unified socialist party in US
Alesina and Glaeser (2004)
PR systems associated w/larger transfer spending in OECD
Alesina and Glaeser (2004)
INFLUENCES ON WELFARE STATE DEVELOPMENT
- Cumulative left control of government strongly positively associated w/welfare generosity (most important factor)
2a. Constitutions w/many ‘veto points’ in policy process (e.g. strong bi-cameralism, federalism etc) slowed change (e.g. USA, Switzerland)
2b. Negative association between no. veto points and social security spending as % of GDP
Huber and Stephens (2001)
Huber and Stephens (2001)
INFLUENCES ON WELFARE STATE DEVELOPMENT
- Cumulative left control of government strongly positively associated w/welfare generosity (most important factor)
2a. Constitutions w/many ‘veto points’ in policy process (e.g. strong bi-cameralism, federalism etc) slowed change (e.g. USA, Switzerland)
2b. Negative association between no. veto points and social security spending as % of GDP