Tax the élites! The role of economic inequality and conspiracy beliefs on attitudes towards taxes and redistribution intentions

Abstract

Taxation is one of the most widely acknowledged strategies to reduce inequality, particularly if based on progressivity. In a high-powered sample study (N = 2119) we investigated economic inequality and conspiracy beliefs as two key predictors of tax attitude and support for progressive taxation. We found that participants in the high economic inequality condition had lower levels of tax compliance and higher levels of conspiracy beliefs and support for progressive taxation. Furthermore, the effect of the experimental condition on tax compliance was mediated by conspiracy beliefs. Finally, conspiracy belief scores were positively associated with support for progressive taxation. Our results provide evidence that attitudes towards taxation are not monolithic but change considering the aims and targets of specific taxes. Indeed, while the perception of economic inequality prompts the desire for equal redistribution, it also fosters conspiracy narratives that undermine compliance with taxes.

How living in economically unequal societies shapes our minds and our social lives

“…There is evidence that these narratives can be social impactful. For instance, Casara, Filippi, et al (2022) found that economic inequality increased people's support for progressive taxation and that this may be mediated through people's endorsement of conspiracy theories. That is, to the extent that people endorsed conspiracy beliefs they were also more supportive of efforts to ‘tax the elites’.…”

“…To date, much of the work that relates to this has examined the predictors of people's support for progressive taxation and the welfare state (e.g., Casara, Filippi, et al, 2022; Tanjitpiyanond et al, 2022a). However, as Wienk et al (2022) make clear, redistribution can take many different forms, from progressive taxation and public good provision to affirmative action and private philanthropy.…”

On the lowest rung of the ladder: How social exclusion, perceived economic inequality and stigma increase homeless people's resignation

“…The present work highlighted how inequality harms homeless people's health but not the processes protecting it or generating positive outcomes. For instance, the research could identify possible mediators or moderators leading to confronting inequality (e.g., Salvador Casara et al, 2022) aiming at social change and investigate the role of community integration in the inequality‐resignation link. Applied studies could test if the cascade process could be broken, for instance, testing if intervention detaching the centrality component from the homeless group identification or promoting community integration would interrupt these harmful processes and protect their well‐being.…”

Education and conspiracy beliefs: A replication of van Prooijen (2017)

“…Thus, economic inequality seems to be a more significant factor than low socioeconomic status. Economic inequality fosters conspiracy beliefs and institutional distrust and increases anxiety and insecurity (Salvador Casara, Filippi, et al, 2022; Salvador Casara, Suitner, & Jetten, 2022). These feelings are known to be associated with higher conspiracy beliefs despite not actually reducing anxiety (Jolley & Douglas, 2014b; Liekefett et al, 2021; Stojanov & Halberstadt, 2020).…”

“…The present study showed that well‐being (socioeconomic status, a feeling of powerlessness) and analytic thinking (cognitive reflection, scientific reasoning) contributed to a negative relationship between education and conspiracy beliefs. Conspiracy beliefs have a lot of negative societal consequences, from civic participation and non‐normative action to reducing one's carbon footprint (Imhoff et al, 2021; Jolley & Douglas, 2014b; Salvador Casara, Filippi, et al, 2022). Therefore, knowing the process by which education affects conspiracy beliefs is important, especially considering the social changes of the last few years, which support the emergence of ever new conspiracy theories and polarize society.…”