Distribution policies matter, probably now - after the disturbing increase in inequality in countries like the USA - more than ever before. Social Justice was also one of the most prominent topics in the electoral campaign of the SPD in the Federal election of Germany 2013.
Most people would tend to ask for lower taxes without considering the trade-offs for themselves and others. This paper examines the preferences of the German electorate using the method of factorial survey. This method allows us to measure attitudes towards distribution and tax policies considering these trade-offs.
In our design, respondents were confronted with different scenarios (vignettes) of small, hypothetical societies including five persons. The variation of attributes between the different societies enables us to isolate effects of income distribution and life situation on taxation and redistribution.
