Janmaat (2013) Subjective inequality

Few comparative studies appear to investigate views on inequalities as independent variables impacting on other social attitudes and behaviours.

Framework

Three types of conceptions of inequality

Two dimensions of inequality

Four perspectives are discussed explaining cross-national differences

the modernist, the culturalist, the micro and the macro perspective

Findings of studies comparing views on inequalities in post-communist and Western states

support for the modernist than for the culturalist perspective

argued that the social relevance of the field will be enhanced if more studies can show that views on inequality have an effect on social outcomes complementary to that of objective inequalities.)

beliefs about fair inequality

judgements about existing inequality

perceptions of existing inequality

magnitude of inequality

principles governing the distribution of resources

aims to provide a systematic review of international comparative studies on views on inequality in order to explore what shapes these views and what their social effects are.

merit/desert (achievement, skills and effort); workload (amount of work duties and job responsibility); equality; need; utility and ascription (membership of a social, kinship, ethnic, racial, religious or gender group)

attitudes like political trust and preferences on redistribu- tion

subjective estimates of existing inequality (i.e. thoughts about what is).

normative ideas about just inequality (i.e. thoughts about what should be)

normative evaluations of existing inequality (i.e. thoughts about how desirable or good the current situation is)

behavioural outcomes such as voting and other forms of political participation.