Fairness Perceptions of Wealth Inequality in Europe

Abstract

Wealth inequality exceeds income inequality in all European countries, raising the question of whether people perceive such disparities as fair. This paper examines fairness perceptions of wealth distribution in 29 European countries by combining the European Social Survey (ESS) with data from the World Inequality Database (WID) and Eurostat. We estimate ordered logistic mixed-effects models to identify macro and micro variables that are linked to fairness assessments of wealth disparities. At the macro level, wealth inequality is perceived as more unfair where wealth concentration is higher, which contrasts with previous findings for income inequality. At the micro level, individuals who endorse principles of equality, equity, and need tend to oppose large wealth disparities. Additionally, individuals in higher social classes are more likely to perceive wealth inequality as unfair, supporting the status-legitimacy hypothesis.