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Enigmas of grievances about inequality: Effects of attitudes toward inequality and government redistribution on protest participation

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  • Jung-In Jo

    (School of Global Service, Sookmyung Women’s University, South Korea)

  • Hyun Jin Choi

    (Department of Political Science, Kyung Hee University, South Korea)

Abstract

This study explores the multifaceted calculus behind engagement in protests using data from 45 countries in the World Values Survey Wave 6 (2010–2014), employing a hierarchical linear model. It expands the current scholarship on protest politics by investigating how individual subjective assessment and evaluation of income inequality, and redistributive preferences influence participation in protests. We found that protest is a powerful outlet used by highly educated citizens with strong grievances about economic inequality, and labor union networks, especially in advanced industrialized countries. The empirical analysis further reveals that the salience of redistributive preferences may effectively filter individual responses and become channeled into action in protests in a broader sample. Moreover, we show that the impact of grievances about inequality on protest becomes significant when government social spending is increased and the level of inequality is high. Conversely, conventional macro-level indicators on their own, such as the Gini coefficient of income disparity and social spending, did not explain variance in protest participation. Findings suggest that more systematic research is necessary to detect the precise mechanisms at play that link grievances about inequality and the exponential expansion of protest politics.

Suggested Citation

  • Jung-In Jo & Hyun Jin Choi, 2019. "Enigmas of grievances about inequality: Effects of attitudes toward inequality and government redistribution on protest participation," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 22(4), pages 348-368, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:intare:v:22:y:2019:i:4:p:348-368
    DOI: 10.1177/2233865919833973
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Tianjing Liao, 2023. "State international income position, trade openness, and mass antigovernment protests," International Area Studies Review, Center for International Area Studies, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, vol. 26(4), pages 402-418, December.

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