Ratio Working Papers,
The Ratio Institute

Abstract: We present new evidence on the influence of income inequality on generalized trust. Using individual panel data from Swedish counties together with an instrumental variable strategy, we find that differences in disposable income, and especially differences among people in the bottom half of the income distribution, are associated with lower trust. The relationship between income inequality and trust is particularly strong for people with a strong aversion against income differentials. We also find that the proportion of people born in a foreign country is negatively associated with trust.

Keywords: trust; social capital; inequality

JEL-codes: C23; D31; Z13

32 pages, October 18, 2006

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Published as

Magnus Gustavsson and Henrik Jordahl, (2008), 'Inequality and Trust in Sweden: Some Inequalities are More Harmful than Others', Journal of Public Economics, vol 92, no 1-2, pages 348-365

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