An International Comparison
Subjective Perceptions of Inequality and Redistributive Preferences
IW-Trends
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.
Judith Niehues: Subjektive Ungleichheitswahrnehmung und Umverteilungspräferenzen – ein internationaler Vergleich
IW-Trends
German Economic Institute (IW)
More on the topic
A Macroeconomic Analysis of Wage-Price Spirals
The subject of this Analysis is the forms that wage-price spirals can take and how they influence macroeconomic stability and inflationary trends in Germany.
IW
Pharmaceutical industry: Increasing pressure on the labor market
The shortage of skilled workers poses significant challenges for pharmaceutical companies in Germany and is expected to become increasingly problematic in the context of demographic changes. Concerning Germany's positioning in the international competition ...
IW