The Rich Have a Slight Edge: Evidence from Comparative Data on Income-Based Inequality in Policy Congruence

Abstract

Several recent studies have found unequal policy responsiveness, meaning that the policy preferences of high-income citizens are better reflected in implemented policies than the policy preferences of low-income citizens. This has been found mainly in a few studies from the US and a small number of single-country studies from Western Europe. However, there is a lack of comparative studies that stake out the terrain across a broader group of countries. We analyze survey data on the policy preferences of about 3,000 policy proposals from thirty European countries over nearly forty years, combined with information on whether each policy proposal was implemented or not. The results from the cross-country data confirm the general pattern from previous studies that policies supported by the rich are more likely to be implemented than those supported by the poor. We also test four explanations commonly found in the literature: whether unequal responsiveness is exacerbated by (a) high economic inequality, (b) the absence of campaign finance regulations, (c) low union density, and (d) low voter turnout.

Widening the gap of political inequality? The effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on political engagement

“…First, as largely acknowledged in research on participation and representation (e.g., Schwander, 2019, Persson andSundell, 2024), and consistent with similar work on income (Solt, 2008), a socioeconomic gap is also present regarding political engagement (thus supporting H1). There is a steady and robust gap in political engagement across income and education strata among the European countries under study for the three variables measuring engagement.…”

“…The effect that the limited voice of those in the lowest strata of society has on political representation has been widely recognized. Mostly focusing on the USA, such studies have concluded that political decisions are systematically more responsive to top-income groups (Bartels, 2016;Persson and Sundell, 2024;Schakel and Van Der Pas, 2021). The poor tend to be more distant from the ideological stances of legislators than upper-income groups and to be less well represented, especially regarding economic issues (Giger et al, 2012;Rosset and Kurella, 2021;Lupu and Warner, 2022).…”

“…Although the increase in the distance between the more and less privileged generally remains small, the fact that it reflects a change over just two years and that it prevails despite the various operationalizations are per se reasons strong enough to uphold the importance of these results. Furthermore, levels of political inequality across socioeconomic groups have not always been large in past research (see e.g., Persson and Sundell, 2024).…”

A Man’s World? The Policy Representation of Women and Men in a Comparative Perspective

“…Fourth and finally, women tend to have lower incomes than men. As mentioned earlier, many studies have tested whether higher levels of income correspond to better policy representation, and though there is no consensus on this point (Elkjaer and Iversen 2020), most analyses find that affluence buys influence (Bartels 2016;Elsässer, Hense, and Schäfer 2021;Gilens and Page 2014;Persson and Sundell 2023).…”

The ISSP 2019 Social Inequality Module: Country-Comparative Individual-Level Data on Public Beliefs about Inequality and Socioeconomic Conditions Over Three Decades

“…Influential studies suggest that actual policymaking is disproportionally responsive to the preferences of more socioeconomically resourceful citizens (Gilens 2012;Elsässer and Schäfer 2023;Persson and Sundell 2023; but see also Elkjaer and Iversen 2020). Some segments of the population, often located towards the lower end of the socio-economic hierarchy, may thus feel excluded and frustrated with how governments are seemingly unwilling and/or ineffective in dealing with pressing insecurities and inequalities.…”