As economic inequality rises worldwide, it’s often assumed that those who oppose government redistribution simply accept inequality or blame the poor. Leslie McCall challenges this assumption by introducing a third, often overlooked perspective: that major institutions and actors in the market sphere should play a role in reducing inequality. Drawing on new survey data from nearly 50,000 people across 34 countries, McCall shows strong public support for this “market-based” approach, especially in countries like the U.S. and Switzerland where support for government redistribution is lower. Her research reveals that many people don’t reject redistribution outright, they just believe responsibility lies elsewhere.
This keynote is part of the workshop Varieties of Redistributive Preferences and Elites in Unequal Democracies: Global and Comparative Perspectives.
If you are interested in attending the rest of the workshop, please contact:
democracy.conferences@graduateinstitute.ch