Self-interest, reciprocity and public support for the redistributive role of the state

Self-interest, reciprocity and public support for the redistributive role of the State

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to test whether motivations characteristic of homo reciprocans, as described in experimental economics, can account for the support for the redistributive role of the State. Using data from the 2008 European Social Survey, we show how this picture of human motivations provides a fertile framework to interpret support for redistribution amongst the general public. We test this claim through two OLS regression models. The evidence clearly shows that variables associated with “reciprocity” are better predictors of support for the redistributive role of the State than those associated with “self-interest”, including the traditional socioeconomic variables, although both types of variables offer useful insights in the question why people support for redistribution.