Income Inequality Sparks Both Meritocracy Faith & Class Awareness?

Income InequalityFalse ConsciousnessUS RegionsBelief SystemsPolitical Behavior @AJPS 1 Stata file 3 datasets Dataverse

This study investigates how local income inequality shapes beliefs about American meritocracy. Using survey data from US regions, it finds that residents' personal economic position affects their understanding of social mobility.

Contrary to expectations, the findings reveal two distinct phenomena coexisting: some cling to meritocratic ideals despite inequality, while others demonstrate sharp class awareness through nuanced belief systems.

Data & Methods 📊

Drawing from regional income datasets and personal economic surveys across US states.

Key Findings ✨

Belief in American meritocracy persists even among those with limited economic mobility
Class awareness manifests differently based on geographic context
No single explanation accounts for the relationship between inequality, position, and belief systems

These insights offer crucial implications for how we understand political consciousness formation.

Article card for article: False Consciousness or Class Awareness? Local Income Inequality, Personal Economic Position, and Belief in American Meritocracy

False Consciousness or Class Awareness? Local Income Inequality, Personal Economic Position, and Belief in American Meritocracy was authored by Benjamin J. Newman, Christopher D. Johnston and Patrick L. Lown. It was published by Wiley in AJPS in 2015.