Economic Inequality and Political Responsiveness: A Systematic Review

Mads Andreas Elkjær , Michael Baggesen Klitgaard

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftReview (oversigtsartikel)peer review

25 Citationer (Scopus)
27 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Do political outcomes respond more strongly to the preferences of the rich? In an age of rising inequality, this question has become increasingly salient. Yet, although an influential literature has emerged, no systematic account exists either of the severity of differentials in political responsiveness, the potential drivers of those differentials, or the variation across democracies. This article fills that gap. We analyze 1,163 estimates of responsiveness from 25 studies and find that, although this research collectively suggests that political outcomes better reflect the preferences of the rich, results vary considerably across models and studies. The divergence in results is partly driven by partisanship and the model specification, while we find no significant variation across either policy domains or general/specific measures of political outcomes. Finally, and against theoretical expectations, published research suggests that differentials in responsiveness are weaker in the United States compared to other developed democracies. The article contributes to our understanding of differential responsiveness by clarifying the main debates and findings in the literature, identifying issues and gaps, and pointing to fruitful avenues for future research.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftPerspectives on Politics
Vol/bind22
Udgave nummer2
Sider (fra-til)318-337
Antal sider20
ISSN1537-5927
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 11 jun. 2024

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