Mass Beliefs about the Working Poor and Support for Redistributive Policies

Abstract

Past research demonstrates that the working poor are politically relevant, yet little is known about public opinion toward this group. This research note explores public beliefs about working poverty in the United States. The results suggest that most Americans are aware of the working poor and view working poverty as problematic and due to structural factors. Like many political attitudes, beliefs about the working poor are linked to Americans’ personal experiences—namely, their level of local exposure to low-income people. However, consistent with research on the role of race in shaping the politics of poverty and inequality, the linkage between local low-income populations and beliefs about the working poor is conditioned by the race of the local poor. Finally, the political relevance of beliefs about the working poor is illustrated by their substantively large relationships to preferences over spending on the poor and taxing the rich.