ABSTRACT

This study assesses whether local economic segregation, or the degree to which people live among others of similar economic status, influences the American public’s preferences for government redistribution. To test this proposition, we combine unique measures of economic segregation at the local level (using zip codes), covering nearly the entire U.S. population, with individual-level opinions on government spending and taxation. Multilevel regression analysis with random intercepts is used to assess whether the public’s preferences for redistribution are shaped by local economic segregation. Our findings suggest that residents living in highly segregated areas are less likely to favor redistributive government policy. Additionally, the results show that the influence of economic segregation on public support for redistribution is particularly strong among the affluent. This research not only contributes to our understanding of the consequences of economic change, but it also demonstrates the importance of considering local context when studying the attitudes of the American public. While the expansion of income inequality is certainly a global phenomenon, the political, economic, and social environments that make up the communities where people live are bound to have an influence on public opinion.

摘要

本研究评估了地方经济隔离，或人们与其他经济地位相似的人的生活程度，是否会影响美国公众对政府再分配的偏好。为了检验这个命题，我们结合了地方层面的独特经济隔离措施（使用邮政编码），几乎覆盖了整个美国人口，以及对政府支出和税收的个人层面的意见。具有随机截距的多级回归分析用于评估公众对再分配的偏好是否受到当地经济隔离的影响。我们的研究结果表明，居住在高度隔离地区的居民不太可能支持再分配的政府政策。此外，结果表明，经济隔离对公共支持再分配的影响在富人中尤为强烈。这项研究不仅有助于我们理解经济变化的后果，而且还证明了在研究美国公众的态度时考虑当地背景的重要性。虽然收入不平等的扩大无疑是一种全球现象，但构成人们居住社区的政治、经济和社会环境必然会对公众舆论产生影响。