Explaining preferences for redistributive taxation (Dissertation)
When do people want more redistributive taxes? Although several countries in Europe have experienced rising levels of inequality in the last couple of decades, public demands for redistributive taxes remained on similar levels or even decreased. In this dissertation, I argue that we can understand this phenomenon by acknowledging the role of limited public information about inequality and tax rates and the importance of fairness heuristics in enabling individuals to demand redistribution by taxes. Utilizing data from the European Social Survey, experimental web surveys conducted in Austria, and a laboratory experiment, this dissertation tests these theoretical arguments empirically.
Fabian Kalleitner
PhD candidate in Sociology
My research interests include tax preferences, biased perceptions, fairness attitudes, and work values. To gather insights in these topics I combine theories and insights of sociology, economics, and psychology using various methodological approaches (i.e. panel surveys, multilevel analyses, survey/field/laboratory experiments) and estimation strategies.