Left-leaning support for redistribution stems from perceived unfairness rather than malicious envy A new study published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin suggests that public support for wealth redistribution is driven by beliefs about fairness rather than jealousy. It provides evidence that the "politics of envy" narrative is inaccurate.

Left-leaning support for redistribution stems from perceived unfairness rather than malicious envy

Everyone in America should have to see these cases and think about what they mean for the kind of society we are becoming. They killed a mom in her minivan. And now they have grabbed this poor sweet kid, used him as bait to grab his dad, and sent him to a detention center in Texas.

When we experimentally increased perceptions that wealth is deserved, support for redistribution decreased.

Special thanks to my dear coauthors Lisa Blatz and Jan Crusius (@ja.ncrusi.us)!

Link to the article: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Just like previous studies, we found small correlations between envy and support for redistribution.

These effects, however, largely disappeared when we added deservingness beliefs to the equation, suggesting that earlier research conflated envy with perceptions that wealth is unmerited. ⬇️

Politics of Envy? Meritocracy Beliefs, Not Envy, Drive Support for Redistribution - Jasper Neerdaels, Lisa Blatz, Jan Crusius, 2026 Support for redistribution is often dismissed as driven by a morally questionable motive: Malicious envy. Seemingly supporting this notion, in some studies, lib...

People who want redistribution are often dismissed as being driven by an ugly emotion: envy.

Our new paper in #PSPB challenges this widespread narrative.

We show that support for redistribution is less driven by envy and more by the belief that the rich do not deserve their advantage. 🧵⬇️

How the LA protests may boost appetite for authoritarianism – DW – 06/14/2025 Psychological research suggests far-right narratives about social breakdown could lead to more support for US President Trump and authoritarianism, not less.

I talked to @news.dw.com about the protests in Los Angeles and why authoritarian figures like Donald Trump like to spread the narrative of societal collapse.

In response, individuals show heightened support for authoritarianism, which promises a sense of predictability, structure, and meaning by providing a belief system with a rigid worldview, clear social rules, and the guidance of a ‘strong leader’. (4/4)

Read more:

doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000483

Anomie leads to a pervasive feeling that one cannot influence the political process or achieve one’s political goals, i.e., a lack of political control. This increases the perception that one can neither understand nor predict political affairs, thus causing political uncertainty. (3/4)

When people feel that society lacks morality, cohesion, and functional leadership (i.e., anomie), they are more likely to desire a ‘strong’, authoritarian leader.

We also show why this is the case:

(2/4)

a woman in a trench coat is smiling while sitting next to a man in a suit and tie . ALT: a woman in a trench coat is smiling while sitting next to a man in a suit and tie .

Chances are that you have been wondering lately why people support authoritarian leaders.

One explanation, our new paper in JPSP suggests, is anomie: The perception that society is breaking down.

doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000483

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Hi Mark, could you please add me, too? Thank you!

Hi, would you mind adding me as well? Thank you!

Bedrohung der Demokratie: Wie Autokratie und Armut zusammenhängen Warum verfangen Versprechen von Autokraten gerade bei der ärmeren Bevölkerung? Scham spielt dabei eine zentrale Rolle, sagt der Psychologe Jasper Neerdaels. Und erklärt, wie sich Demokratien schützen ...

Ich hatte ein gutes Gespräch mit Maria Stöhr von @spiegelmagazin.bsky.social über unsere Forschung zu Armut, Scham und der Sehnsucht nach einem "starken Führer":

www.spiegel.de/ausland/bedr...