{
  "title": "Pandemics and Inequality: Perceptions and Preferences for Redistribution",
  "publication": "IMF Working Papers, February 26, 2021",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2021/02/26/pandemics-and-inequality-perceptions-and-preferences-for-redistribution-50114",
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  "summary": "This paper uses an individual-level survey conducted by the Edelman Trust Barometer in mid-April for 11 advanced and emerging market economies to examine perceptions of government performance in managing the health and economic crisis, beliefs about the future, and attitudes about redistribution.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Study design and scope",
      "content": "- Individual-level survey conducted by the Edelman Trust Barometer in mid-April for 11 advanced and emerging market economies.\n- Focus: perceptions of government performance in managing the health and economic crisis, beliefs about the future, and attitudes about redistribution.\n- Publication details:\n  - Pages: 43\n  - Volume: 2021\n  - Issue: 053\n  - Series: Working Paper No. 2021/053\n  - DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781513570723.001\n  - Stock No: WPIEA2021053\n  - ISBN: 9781513570723\n  - ISSN: 1018-5941\n  - Publication date: February 26, 2021"
    },
    {
      "heading": "Key empirical findings",
      "content": "- Demographic and job-related correlates of government perceptions:\n  - Women systematically have less favorable perceptions of government responses.\n  - Non-college educated individuals systematically have less favorable perceptions of government responses.\n  - The unemployed systematically have less favorable perceptions of government responses.\n  - Those in non-teleworkable jobs systematically have less favorable perceptions of government responses.\n- Personal experience effects:\n  - Personally experiencing illness caused by the pandemic can shape beliefs about the future.\n  - Personally experiencing job loss caused by the pandemic can shape beliefs about the future.\n  - These experiences heighten uncertainties about prolonged job losses and the imminent threat from automation.\n- Cross-country and temporal patterns:\n  - Economic anxieties are amplified in countries that experienced an early surge in infections followed by successful containment, suggesting negative beliefs can persist even after containment.\n- Redistribution attitudes:\n  - Support for pro-equality redistributive policies varies depending on personal experiences and views about the poor.\n  - There is strong willingness to provide social safety nets for vulnerable individuals and firms among those who have a more favorable perception of government responses.\n  - Effective government actions can promote support for redistributive policies."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Analytical conclusions",
      "content": "- Government performance perceptions are systematically linked to socioeconomic status, employment circumstances, and gender.\n- Direct negative experiences with the pandemic (illness or job loss) materially influence forward-looking beliefs, increasing perceived risks of prolonged unemployment and automation-related displacement.\n- Country-level epidemic trajectories (early surge then containment) do not eliminate lasting economic anxieties; containment success does not automatically erase negative beliefs.\n- Public support for redistribution is heterogeneous but can be strengthened by credible and effective government responses that increase willingness to fund social safety nets."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Policy implications and recommendations",
      "content": "- Strengthen targeted communications and policy measures toward groups with systematically less favorable perceptions (women, non-college educated, unemployed, non-teleworkable workers) to rebuild trust in government responses.\n- Prioritize policies that mitigate prolonged job loss risks and address automation concerns for those directly affected by pandemic illness or job loss.\n- Recognize that successful epidemiological containment should be complemented by economic measures to reduce persistent economic anxieties in populations that experienced early infection surges.\n- Use effective and visible government actions to build public support for social safety nets for vulnerable individuals and firms, leveraging improved perceptions of government performance to expand redistributive policies.\n\nSource: Vybhavi Balasundharam and Era Dabla‑Norris, \"Pandemics and Inequality: Perceptions and Preferences for Redistribution\", IMF Working Papers 2021, 053 (2021).\n\n---\n\n Content in this bundle\n\n- Working Paper\n  - Working Paper (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n  - Working Paper (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}\n\n---\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2021/02/26/pandemics-and-inequality-perceptions-and-preferences-for-redistribution-50114"
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    "Authors: Vybhavi Balasundharam, Era Dabla-Norris",
    "Published: February 26, 2021",
    "Series: IMF Working Papers",
    "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781513570723.001",
    "Individual-level survey conducted by the Edelman Trust Barometer in mid-April for 11 advanced and emerging market economies.",
    "Focus: perceptions of government performance in managing the health and economic crisis, beliefs about the future, and attitudes about redistribution.",
    "Publication details:",
    "Demographic and job-related correlates of government perceptions:",
    "Personal experience effects:",
    "Cross-country and temporal patterns:",
    "Redistribution attitudes:",
    "Government performance perceptions are systematically linked to socioeconomic status, employment circumstances, and gender.",
    "Direct negative experiences with the pandemic (illness or job loss) materially influence forward-looking beliefs, increasing perceived risks of prolonged unemployment and automation-related displacement.",
    "Country-level epidemic trajectories (early surge then containment) do not eliminate lasting economic anxieties; containment success does not automatically erase negative beliefs.",
    "Public support for redistribution is heterogeneous but can be strengthened by credible and effective government responses that increase willingness to fund social safety nets.",
    "Strengthen targeted communications and policy measures toward groups with systematically less favorable perceptions (women, non-college educated, unemployed, non-teleworkable workers) to rebuild trust in government responses.",
    "Prioritize policies that mitigate prolonged job loss risks and address automation concerns for those directly affected by pandemic illness or job loss.",
    "Recognize that successful epidemiological containment should be complemented by economic measures to reduce persistent economic anxieties in populations that experienced early infection surges.",
    "Use effective and visible government actions to build public support for social safety nets for vulnerable individuals and firms, leveraging improved perceptions of government performance to expand redistributive policies.",
    "**Working Paper**"
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