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Cultural Values and Perceptions of Inequality: A Comparative Study of Russia and China

Tatsiana Biletskaya
University of Glasgow
Tatsiana Biletskaya
University of Glasgow

Abstract

The inequality issue is often debated in social sciences, economics and even in the field of medicine. This research proposal is based on the studies of cultural values (which form the ‘cultural fundament’ of every society) and their links to political power and consequently to income distribution (Tannenbaum et al. 1974; Hofstede 1984, 2005; Verwiebe & Wegener 2000). The paper aims to look at the perceptions of inequality comparatively in China and Russia and to investigate the role which socio-economic characteristics, cultural values and other long-term determinants play in it. The hypothesis that the cultural value of ‘distance to power’ (among other predictors) is connected to the perception of economic inequality in countries is tested. If confirmed, this will be followed by an analysis of the differences between the two countries, why those differences exist and how this fits within the bigger picture of inequality studies. The method of research is the quantitative analysis of survey data from Russia and China (2014) complemented by focus groups qualitative data.