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Judith Niehues IW-Trends No. 2 25. June 2014 Subjective Perceptions of Inequality and Redistributive Preferences

An International Comparison

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Subjective Perceptions of Inequality and Redistributive Preferences
Judith Niehues IW-Trends No. 2 25. June 2014

Subjective Perceptions of Inequality and Redistributive Preferences

IW-Trends

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German Economic Institute (IW) German Economic Institute (IW)

An International Comparison

Views on income inequality and concomitant redistributive preferences are crucial to the design of tax and transfer systems. Although income distribution in Germany, France and Switzerland is very similar, opinions differ widely as to how critically income differences are viewed. This is hardly surprising given that when countries are compared there is almost no connection between the actual distribution of incomes and subjective evaluations of income differentials. In fact, many nationalities assume that the structure of their society is considerably less equitable than it really is. Thus, a factor which far better explains views on distribution is the subjective perception of inequality within a society. Similarly, redistributive preferences are influenced less by actual distribution than by perceived inequality.

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Subjective Perceptions of Inequality and Redistributive Preferences
Judith Niehues IW-Trends No. 2 25. June 2014

Judith Niehues: Subjektive Ungleichheitswahrnehmung und Umverteilungspräferenzen – ein internationaler Vergleich

IW-Trends

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German Economic Institute (IW) German Economic Institute (IW)

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Matthias Diermeier / Madeleine F. Fischer / Judith Niehues in SOEP papers External Publication 20. March 2023

Punching up or Punching down?: How Stereotyping the Rich and the Poor Impacts Redistributive Preferences in Germany

Redistribution and the welfare state have been linked by academic discourse to narratives that portray specific societal groups as ‘deserving’ or ‘undeserving’. The present analysis contributes to this scholarship in a twofold manner.

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Beznoska, Martin / Christian von Haldenwang / Ruth Maria Schüler in IDOS (Hrsg.) Discussion Paper External Publication 15. March 2023

Tax expenditures in OECD countries: Findings from the Global Tax Expenditures Database

The Global Tax Expenditures Database (https://GTED.net/) collects national reports on tax expenditures for 101 countries for the period from 1990 to the present. Based on these data, the development of tax expenditures in the 38 OECD countries between 1999 and ...

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