Inequality, macroeconomic performance and political polarization: a panel analysis of 20 advanced democracies

This paper investigates the macroeconomic and social determinants of voting behavior, especially political polarization – defined here as increasing electoral success far-right far-left parties in 20 advanced countries using annual data from 1970 to 2016 covering 291 parliamentary elections. Our analysis indicates that link between income inequality appears have significantly changed over last years. Indeed, we find both average net inequality, well bottom 10% share are statistically linked recent (but not parties), while top or 20% shares not. The polarization, particular parties, thus seems be based on deterioration relative economic position poorest fraction population.