Preference for Redistribution: Does the Recipient's Residency Status, Education, and Volunteering Matter?

Abstract

It has been argued that ethnic heterogeneity negatively affects the willingness of the wealthier ethnic majority to redistribute resources to the typically less affluent ethnic minority. Using a general population sample of German citizens, we analyze how redistribution preferences depend on the recipients’ characteristics. We systematically vary information on (i) the recipient’s residency status (asylum seekers, economic migrants, German citizens) and (ii) their characteristics (educational attainment, engagement in voluntary work). These variations allow us to disentangle the effect of the recipient’s residency status and characteristics on redistribution preferences. Overall, we
find discrimination against foreign recipients, with German citizens receiving significantly higher transfers. While having a university degree does not affect redistribution on average, participation in voluntary work significantly increases redistribution. This effect is particularly strong for asylum seekers compared to German citizens and economic migrants. However, information having a university degree can reduce discrimination, particularly for asylum seekers.

Keywords: Redistribution, Immigration, Discrimination, Education, Community work

JEL Classification: C92, D31, D63, H23, J15