Inequality

In the paper below, together with Prof. Brian Burgoon (University of Amsterdam), Dr. Jona Linde (Maastricht University), and Prof. Bertjan Doosje (University of Amsterdam), we examine the relations between wealth and income inequality and social and political trust across the globe. We employ multiple modelling strategies, specifications, and robustness checks. An earlier draft is presented at the European Political Science Association in 2019.

Manuscript in preparation

Worldwide, income and wealth inequality have increased in many countries. Such inequalities yield various social ills, including the decline of social cohesion, a pattern visible amidst recent crises and global political upheavals. Nevertheless, scholars of social and political disaffection have focused primarily on income inequality in OECD countries. This article’s contribution is to expand that focus by: (1) examining the impact of wealth inequality, which no study has done before; (2) extending the link between inequality and social trust to political trust; and (3) taking a global approach. The authors produce an original dataset, combining a novel wealth-inequality measure with 60 waves of Barometers and Values surveys across 309 country-year units and other relevant indicators. Results show that income inequality undermines social trust, but reveal no significant effect for wealth inequality. The effects of income and wealth inequality on political trust are moderated by democracy levels and country wealth, respectively.