How Elastic Are Preferences for Redistribution? Evidence from Randomized Survey Experiments

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Kuziemko, Ilyana; Norton, Michael I.; Saez, Emmanuel; Stantcheva, Stefanie
• 署名单位: Princeton University; Harvard University; University of California System; University of California Berkeley; Harvard University
• 刊物名称: AMERICAN ECONOMIC REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0002-8282
• DOI: 10.1257/aer.20130360
• 发表日期: 2015
• 页码: 1478-1508
• 关键词: SOCIAL-POLICY PREFERENCES; mobility; demand; taste

摘要

We analyze randomized online survey experiments providing interactive, customized information on US income inequality, the link between top income tax rates and economic growth, and the estate tax. The treatment has large effects on views about inequality but only slightly moves tax and transfer policy preferences. An exception is the estate tax-informing respondents of the small share of decedents who pay it doubles support for it. The small effects for all other policies can be partially explained by respondents' low trust in government and a disconnect between concerns about social issues and the public policies meant to address them.