Achieving Justice: Comparative Public Opinions on Income Distribution (International Comparative Social Studies) (International Comparative Social Studies)

This work provides a comparative analysis of public beliefs about social justice. What can explain the cross-national variations, and if opinions do change over time, why is this so? This text should be of interest to those interested in the relationship between public opinion and political elite.

This book gives a systematic and extensive comparative analysis of public beliefs about social justice. Contrary to previous studies it attempts to link public opinion to the philosophical debate on distributive justice, but more importantly it connects the different opinion surveys with the current economic and political situation in the various countries.
What can explain the cross-national variations, and if opinions do change over time, why is this so? Are people’s beliefs influenced by existing welfare practices in the country? Do different policy regimes trigger different pattern of belief among the members of society?
This book should be of interest to researchers and students both in the field of Comparative Opinion Studies, but also those interested in the relationship between public opinion and the political elite.

Annotation Providing a comparative analysis of beliefs about social justice, this book attempts to link public opinion to the philosophical debate on distributive justice and relates survey results to current economic conditions in various countries. Aalberg (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) tries to gauge public support for distributive principles, the public perceptions of inequality, support for egalitarian ideals, and the relation between these attitudes and economic factors like wages and taxation. Annotation (c)2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)