The paradox of inequality: income inequality and belief in meritocracy go hand in hand

Abstract

Inequality is on the rise: gains have been concentrated with a small elite, while most have seen their fortunes stagnate or fall. Despite what scholars and journalists consider a worrying trend, there is no evidence of growing popular concern about inequality. In fact, research suggests that citizens in unequal societies are less concerned than those in more egalitarian societies. How to make sense of this paradox? I argue that citizens' consent to inequality is explained by their growing conviction that societal success is reflective of a meritocratic process. Drawing on 25 years of International Social Survey Program data, I show that rising inequality is legitimated by the popular belief that the income gap is meritocratically deserved: the more unequal a society, the more likely its citizens are to explain success in meritocratic terms, and the less important they deem nonmeritocratic factors such as a person's family wealth and connections.

The Global Increase in the Socioeconomic Achievement Gap, 1964 to 2015

“…Growing SES achievement gaps may also have political implications. Although belief in meritocracy is growing in many countries, this belief is strongly socioeconomically graded, particularly in countries with the highest income inequality (Mijs 2019;Roex, Huijts, and Sieben 2019). A growing awareness of increasing SES achievement gaps-coupled with cases of outright fraud, such as the recent U.S. college admissions bribery scandal (Smith 2019)may contribute to increased socioeconomic polarization of trust in the legitimacy of educational institutions.…”

Hidden figures: A longitudinal analysis of the relationship between local context and beliefs about the causes of unemployment

“…Hence interpersonal interaction in the local area is arguably a key venue for individuals from affluent and deprived backgrounds to interact and learn about one another. Drawing on this insight and recent findings that rising income inequality is associated with increased income segregation (Reardon and Bischoff, 2011), a number of scholars argue that greater spatial segregation by income is likely to lead to a decline in solidarity with the less well off on the part of the affluent (Bailey et al, 2013;Mijs, 2019;Thal, 2017). As a result they are committed to a well-known idea from contact theory that proximity to the less well-off increases sympathetic attitudes by debunking negative stereotypes and building empathy (Pettigrew, 1998).…”

“…Such views are also reported in qualitative work with people who are in poverty (see the second quote above), many of whom justify stigmatising views about others in poverty based on first-hand personal observation in their neighbourhood or town (Chase and Walker, 2012;Golding and Middleton, 1984;Shildrick and MacDonald, 2013). A very different view is found among researchers who are concerned that increasing socio-economic segregation by income has the potential to undermine the solidarity of the affluent with the disadvantaged (Bailey et al, 2013;Mijs, 2019;Thal, 2017). From their perspective, proximity to the unemployed leads advantaged people with little personal experience of poverty to increased knowledge of their living conditions and empathy with them.…”

Hva er rettferdig pensjon? Befolkningens oppfatninger om alderspensjonen i folketrygden

“…Finner vi dette også for pensjonene -at de som har høye inntekter er lunkne til de elementene i systemet som saerlig kommer de svake til gode? Internasjonalt viser en fersk studie at når ulikheten i et samfunn øker, øker også andelen som mener at framgang i livet skyldes «hardt arbeid» (Mijs 2019). Dette beskrives som «ulikhetens paradoks», og kan i noen grad tilskrives at med økende ulikhet øker også den sosiale avstanden mellom ulike grupper, dermed svekkes forståelsen av hvor hardt personer i andre sosiale lag faktisk jobber (eller ikke).…”