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Trust in institutions and the profile of inequality: A worldwide perspective

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  • Domenico Moramarco
  • Flaviana Palmisano

Abstract

This paper investigates the importance of accounting for the profile of inequality in the analysis of institutional trust. Drawing on individual data from 82 countries around the world over the 1981-2021 period, it sheds light on the potential limitations of exploring the impact of the income distribution's shape on trust, using—as is traditional in the literature—a single inequality indicator. Results suggest that total income inequality and institutional trust are positively associated but this aggregated result hides some troubling countervailing effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Domenico Moramarco & Flaviana Palmisano, 2023. "Trust in institutions and the profile of inequality: A worldwide perspective," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2023-12, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    • Handle: RePEc:unu:wpaper:wp-2023-12
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gustavsson, Magnus & Jordahl, Henrik, 2008. "Inequality and trust in Sweden: Some inequalities are more harmful than others," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(1-2), pages 348-365, February.
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    3. Bianca Clausen & Aart Kraay & Zsolt Nyiri, 2011. "Corruption and Confidence in Public Institutions: Evidence from a Global Survey," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 25(2), pages 212-249.
    4. Markus Brueckner & Daniel Lederman, 2018. "Inequality and economic growth: the role of initial income," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 341-366, September.
    5. Gustavsson, Magnus & Jordahl, Henrik, 2006. "Inequality and Trust: Some Inequalities are More Harmful than Others," Working Paper Series 2006:3, Uppsala University, Department of Economics.
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