The Determinants of the Preference for Redistribution Policy

• Main Authors: He, Jhih-Siang, 何智翔
• Other Authors: Lin, Tsui-Fang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/29054053419220353659

碩士 === 國立臺北大學 === 財政學系 === 98 === According to the 2008 Survey of Family Income and Expenditure, the income gap between the rich and the poor has been increasing in recent years. Therefore, how to reduce the income gap has become an important policy. In general, the government uses progressive tax and social security programs to redistribute income and improve inequality. The purpose of this study is to examine the determinants of people’s preference for redistribution policies, using the 2006 and 2007 Taiwan Social Change Surveys (TSCS). From probit and ordered probit estimation results, we find that individuals will increase their demand for redistribution policies when they face uncertainty. Also, those who believe that wealth and poverty are caused by effort level show less support for redistribution policies. Moreover, people are more likely to support redistribution policies if they believe the society has become more unequal. Lastly, those who believe that their family income status has improved are significantly less supportive of redistribution policies. The findings of this study suggest that individual characteristics play an important role in demand for redistribution policies.