Individual determinants of social fairness assessments : the case of Germany

In this contribution we study the determinants of how individuals assess the social fairness of a given income distribution. We propose an analytical framework distinguishing between potential impact factors related to the following fields: first fairness preferences, second beliefs on the sources of economic success and the functioning of democracy and third selfinterest. We test this framework on representative survey data for Germany for the years 1991, 2000 and 2004. Our results indicate that self-interest, beliefs and fairness preferences jointly shape fairness assessments. In addition, a number of personal characteristics are found to be important: Compared to their western fellow citizens, people born in GDR have a more critical view at social fairness. A particularly strong impact is related to the belief on the functioning of the democratic system. This points an important role of procedural fairness for the acceptance of a given distribution

Don't tax me? : Determinants of individual attitudes toward progressive taxation

This contribution empirically analyses the individual determinants of tax rate preferences. For that purpose we make use of the representative German General Social Survey (ALLBUS) that offers data on the individual attitudes toward progressive, proportional, and regressive taxation. Our theoretical considerations suggest that beyond self-interest, information, fairness considerations, economic beliefs and several other individual factors drive individual preferences for tax rate structures. Our empirical results indicate that the self-interest view does not offer the sole explanation for the heterogeneity in attitudes toward progressive taxation. Rather, we show that the choice of the favoured tax rate is also driven by fairness considerations

Euro stories: The Irish experience of currency change

This paper presents an overview of an interview study carried out in the Republic of Ireland approximately one year after the introduction of the euro in January 2002, and also compares the Irish experience to that of the other initial Eurozone countries. The new currency seems to have been rather more positively received in Ireland than elsewhere. Irish adults had a generally more positive attitude towards the new currency and seemed to have adapted to it rather well. Nevertheless, they shared some common experiences and problems with citizens of other countries, such as the perception that the introduction of the euro raised inflation more than it actually did, confusion of notes and coins, and the use of coping strategies involving price conversion to the former currency. The implications of the Irish experience for policy are discussed

Consumer Adaptation Strategies: From Austrian Shilling to the Euro

Currency changeover, Euro, Austria, Consumer adaptation, Adaptation strategies,

ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE EURO: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY BASED ON THE GERMAN SOCIO-ECONOMIC PANEL (SOEP)

euro, European Union, attitudes, national identity,

Poverty and Patriotism in America

Researchers in the social sciences and humanities have devoted considerable attention to the concept of patriotism. This volume attests to that. The resulting scholarship is rich in analytical variety, geographical and historical dimensions, and connections to other substantives points of interest. Yet, despite all this, one particular – and consequential – aspect of patriotism remains still largely understudied: its relationship to class. How does class affect the nature and level of patriotism? This chapter considers this question in light of the very high levels of patriotism among America’s poorest citizens. First, it documents those levels in absolute and comparative terms, while in parallel pointing out that there are good reasons to expect those levels to be much lower. Second, it reflects on why such patriotism matters. Third, it develops possible explanations for those high levels of patriotism based on existing literatures on American patriotism in general, marginalized groups, and social cohesion. Fourth, it considers the findings of a research project recently conducted on the issue. Finally, it concludes with a summary and reflections on future directions