Should Governments Tax the Rich and Subsidize the Poor? An Empirical Study of South Korean Opinion

Abstract

One question in the most recent World Values Survey asked whether it is an essential characteristic of democratic governments to tax the rich and subsidize the poor. The present study reports the findings of the survey conducted in South Korea. The overall response and relative ranking are discussed, as well as the findings for certain demographic variables, such as gender and age.

Keywords: capitalism, economic inequality, ethics, government, human rights, property rights, redistribution, South Korea, subsidy, tax

JEL Classification: H1, H2, H23, H24, H25, H5, I3, K34, O51, O52, O53, O54, O55, O56, O57