Germany – Design and execution of research and development – Einstellungen zu Vermögensungleichheit in der Bevölkerung (Survey-Experiment)

In recent years, the issue of wealth inequality has gained significant prominence in political perception. This is partly due to improved international data availability and the strong and publicly visible increase in the wealth of international wealth elites, which in some places is accompanied by growing political influence. The Poverty and Wealth Reports (ARB) of the Federal Government regularly examine, among other things, attitudes in the population towards economic inequality and social mobility. However, attitudes with a specific focus on wealth inequality have not been extensively surveyed to date. Questions such as how the extent of wealth inequality and social mobility in Germany is perceived, how the social role of the very wealthy is evaluated, and to what extent the existing or perceived wealth distribution has social acceptance, are of great relevance. It is particularly interesting to see to what extent assessments of political measures are influenced by factors such as available information or notions of justice. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) therefore intends to conduct a representative population survey with a check of treatment effects (so-called survey experiment). This should investigate various aspects of attitudes towards wealth inequality as up-to-date, broad and in-depth as possible. In addition, the importance of values (principles of justice), expectations (e.g. inheritance/professional perspective) and the perception of social framework conditions (e.g. social influence of wealth elites) should be included in the investigation. Specifically, the survey should provide insights into the following questions:

• How do the respondents assess the wealth distribution in Germany - also in comparison to the income distribution?

• How do the respondents assess their own position in the wealth distribution?

• What influences a possible deviation from the actual distribution or their own position?

• How do the respondents assess social mobility in terms of wealth, and what expectations do they have for themselves?

• What ideas exist about the causes of wealth inequality? How high is the acceptance of the perceived and actual distribution? Which principles of justice are applied? Which factors contribute to the acceptance or rejection of wealth inequality?

• How do the respondents assess the significance of wealth inequality for democracy and society?

• What is the relationship between assumptions and evaluation of the wealth distribution on the one hand, and attitudes towards the consequences of wealth inequality for democracy and society on the other?

• What preferences do the respondents have regarding redistribution, the participation of the wealthy in the financing of the common good (in particular current proposals for the taxation of wealth) and further measures to reduce economic inequality? Which factors influence these preferences?

In addition to an evaluation according to socio-economic characteristics, the influence of values and convictions, personal expectations for the future (e.g. inheritance/professional perspective) and personal experiences with or perception of social framework conditions should be included. In an appropriate manner, experimental survey components should be used, such as information treatments or the evaluation of vignettes and options. In addition to the conduct of a representative population survey with experimental survey components, bidders can supplement the methodology with further qualitative or quantitative components in their offer. Please note the attached tender documents.