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Economic insecurity and political preferences

Author

Listed:
  • Walter Bossert

    (UdeM - Université de Montréal)

  • Andrew E. Clark

    (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École nationale des ponts et chaussées - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Conchita D’ambrosio

    (uni.lu - Université du Luxembourg = University of Luxembourg = Universität Luxemburg)

  • Anthony Lepinteur

    (uni.lu - Université du Luxembourg = University of Luxembourg = Universität Luxemburg)

Abstract

Economic insecurity has attracted growing attention, but there is no consensus as to its definition. We characterize a class of individual economic-insecurity measures based on the time profile of economic resources. We apply this economic-insecurity measure to political-preference data in the USA, UK, and Germany. Conditional on current economic resources, economic insecurity is associated with both greater political participation (support for a party or the intention to vote) and more support for conservative parties. In particular, economic insecurity predicts greater support for both Donald Trump before the 2016 US Presidential election and the UK leaving the European Union in the 2016 Brexit referendum.

Suggested Citation

  • Walter Bossert & Andrew E. Clark & Conchita D’ambrosio & Anthony Lepinteur, 2022. "Economic insecurity and political preferences," PSE-Ecole d'économie de Paris (Postprint) halshs-03796312, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:pseptp:halshs-03796312
    DOI: 10.1093/oep/gpac037
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Bargain, Olivier & Jara, H. Xavier & Rivera, David, 2026. "Social gaps, perceived inequality and protests," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    2. Mark Setterfield, 2024. "Managing the Discontent of the Losers Redux: A Future of Authoritarian Neoliberalism or Social Capitalism?," FMM Working Paper 98-2024, IMK at the Hans Boeckler Foundation, Macroeconomic Policy Institute.
    3. Mark Setterfield, 2025. "The COVID pandemic and its aftermath: missed opportunities for avoiding a future of Authoritarian Neoliberalism," Working Papers 2510, New School for Social Research, Department of Economics.
    4. Dmitry Petrov & Marina Romaguera-de-la-Cruz, 2025. "Measuring economic insecurity by combining income and wealth: an extended well-being approach," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 113-139, March.
    5. Giorgio Fabbri & Emmanuelle Augeraud-Véron, 2025. "Economic insecurity, memory effects and allocations choices," Working Papers hal-05398465, HAL.
    6. Mario Marino & Silvia Pacei, 2025. "The Small Area Estimation of Economic Security: A Proposal," International Journal of Statistics and Probability, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 12(3), pages 1-8, January.
    7. Rohde, Nicholas, 2023. "Economic insecurity, nativism, and the erosion of institutional trust," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 1017-1028.
    8. Alessandro Gallo & Silvia Pacei & Maria Rosaria Ferrante, 2025. "A Relative Measure of Economic Insecurity and the Nexus with Job Change," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 178(1), pages 91-116, May.
    9. Iván Albina & Jessica Bracco & Leonardo Gasparini & Luis Laguinge, 2025. "Slowing Down, Heating Up: Economic Deceleration and Social Discontent in Latin America," CEDLAS, Working Papers 0349, CEDLAS, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty

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