Data for the time before the corona pandemic reveal a largely positive picture of the economic and social development in Germany. Most individuals perceived their own situation as very positive, but their views on society are rather pessimistic and overly critical.
Perception and Reality: Inequality and Unemployment in Germany
Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft (IW)
Data for the time before the corona pandemic reveal a largely positive picture of the economic and social development in Germany. Most individuals perceived their own situation as very positive, but their views on society are rather pessimistic and overly critical.
Contrasting abstract redistributive preferences with prevailing norms of justice reveals further inconsistencies. Thus, it is increasingly unlikely that policymakers can adequately address the concerns and wishes of the population. The pronounced discrepancy between empirical findings on distributional aspects and citizens’ perceptions constitutes a veritable problem for democratic processes. That is because this discrepancy is the basis for mistrust between citizens (principals) and politics (agents). Therefore, it becomes increasingly important that politicians explain the logic of their actions in an understandable way. An important prerequisite for more communicable politics is a comprehensive infrastructure for research data that enables politicians, the media, and the public to make valid assessments.
Perception and Reality: Inequality and Unemployment in Germany
Institut der deutschen Wirtschaft (IW)
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.
IW
Big-Mac-Index: Der etwas andere Wechselkurs
Ökonomiestudenten lieben den Big-Mac-Index, weil er das Zusammenspiel von Wechselkurs und Preisniveau so anschaulich macht. Seine Aussagekraft ist allerdings eingeschränkt.
iwd