Inequality, fairness and social capital

• Verfasst von: Fehr, Dietmar [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Rau, Hannes [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Trautmann, Stefan T. [VerfasserIn]
• Verfasst von: Xu, Yilong [VerfasserIn]
• Titel: Inequality, fairness and social capital
• Verf.angabe: Dietmar Fehr, Hannes Rau, Stefan T. Trautmann, Yilong Xu
• E-Jahr: 2020
• Jahr: 19 August 2020
• Umfang: 12 S.
• Fussnoten: Gesehen am 16.11.2020
• Titel Quelle: Enthalten in: European economic review
• Ort Quelle: Amsterdam : Elsevier, 1969
• Jahr Quelle: 2020
• Band/Heft Quelle: 129(2020), Artikel-ID 103566, Seite 1-12
• ISSN Quelle: 1873-572X
• DOI: doi:10.1016/j.euroecorev.2020.103566
• Datenträger: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: eng
• Bibliogr. Hinweis: Erscheint auch als : Druck-Ausgabe: Fehr, Dietmar: Inequality, fairness and social capital. - 2020
• Bibliogr. Hinweis: Forschungsdaten: Fehr, Dietmar: Inequality, fairness and social capital [dataset]
• Sach-SW: Experiment
• Sach-SW: Fairness
• Sach-SW: Inequality
• Sach-SW: Social capital
• K10plus-PPN: 173875166X

Abstract

Inequality is often associated with negative societal consequences, but identifying a causal relationship is a daunting task. We provide evidence on the impact of unjust economic inequality on social interactions. Using a large-scale controlled experiment, we document that unjust inequality results in a significant decline in trust and trustworthiness. This erosion of social capital is associated with pessimistic beliefs about others’ behavior and is muted if there is no direct link between the income-generating process and social interaction. Finally, our data do not support the view that higher status or wealth affects pro-social attitudes: the successful are always more generous, whereas unsuccessful persons display the least efficient and generous behavior regardless of the status of the person who they interact with.