The Directing Power ? A Comparative Study of Public Opinion and Income Distribution

In recent years, a number of studies have examined the influence of public opinion on government policy, but few have considered the influence of opinion on social conditions. These are separate questions, since policies may not have the intended effects, and opinion may influence outcomes directly apart from government policy. This paper examines the relationship between public opinion and income inequality in a sample of about 50 nations. It finds that the distribution of income is more equal in nations where opinions are more egalitarian, and that this relationship is stronger in democracies. However, the association with opinions of people with above-average incomes is stronger than the association with average opinions, suggesting that people with higher incomes have more influence. Analysis of the sources of national differences in opinion suggests that egalitarianism increases with economic development, contrary to the claims of many authors. Ethnic diversity and the experience of Communist rule appear to reduce egalitarian sentiments.