Class Perceptions and Place-Based Resentment: Understanding Voter Support for Spatial Redistribution in Western Europe

In recent years, studies have given considerable attention to place-based resentment and its effects on political behavior. However, we know less about how perceptions of class contribute to this resentment and the willingness to act on it. This study asks: How do frames of class and grievances influence voters’ willingness to support funding of places? Using novel experimental survey data collected in the fall of 2024 from six West-European countries, this study examines the effects of different place characteristics on voters’ support for place-based funding. By bridging literature on class and place, this paper investigates how the intersection of these two important social divides affects voter demand for spatial redistribution.