Measuring solidarity: towards a survey question on fiscal solidarity in the European Union

Abstract

Comparing solidarity attitudes between EU citizens is significant in the context of European integration, since solidarity—or rather the lack thereof—has been used in public debates and recent studies as an explanation for a variety of crises. In these academic studies, the measurement of solidarity and its conceptualization strongly differ and that prevents us from evaluating the long-term existence of solidarity in the EU or its effectiveness. This article intends to narrow this gap by starting a theoretical discussion on a possible standardized question on fiscal solidarity in the EU. To do so, it examines existing questions and borrows from the research on social trust and survey methodology. Then, it proposes a new fiscal solidarity question, of which its reliability and validity is assessed via the Survey Quality Predictor, a computer program to evaluate survey questions. This article argues that the new fiscal solidarity question should mention the term solidarity and include the solidarity practice defined as permanent financial help. Once established, a standard solidarity question will strengthen the comparability of solidarity in continued social science research.