In democracies government use politics as an instrument to correct income inequality, which surpass the level tolerated by citizens. Actually, redistribution mitigated rising inequalities in many post-industrial countries in the past. Voters can force governments to use political power to alter market income inequality by the threat of not being re-elected. This ideal of self-correction is inherent in ‘Politics against markets’ approaches. Also, the median voter model draws on market-correcting politics implemented by electoral majority of the middle class. The view of politics representing majorities was challenged. Instead of direct links between inequality, voter preferences, political behaviour and parties, the structure of political institutions or interest groups came into view. The paper analyses empirical discrepancies between a) preferences and political behavior, b) ideological positions of voters and parties, c) ideological position of parties and their position in coalition governments based on data of ESS and MARPOR.
