Consequential support: The effects of inequality awareness on the endorsement of redistributive policies

Economic inequality is a harmful and pervasive phenomenon, with negative consequences affecting individual and societal wellbeing. The knowledge that inequality exists, however, does not seem associated to a greater demand for redistribution, possibly due to laypeople’s lack of knowledge about how economic inequality affects individuals and societies. In the present study, participants were informed of consequences of inequality for the individual and for society and were asked their opinion on redistribution. Awareness of consequences was found to reduce tolerance for inequality and to increase support for structural policies. Informing people of individual consequences, however, might lead them to reject economic policies. Together, these findings underline the potential for positive effects on information campaigns aimed at increasing support for redistribution and the need to investigate it through further research.