Ed Miliband’s comments in a recent interview that “redistribution is important but it’s not the only route to social justice” could be more important than even he realises. New research shows not just that there has been an overall decline in support for redistribution of wealth through the tax and benefits system, but that we may be witnessing a generational shift in attitudes. Younger generations are less supportive of redistribution than their parents.
The overall decline in support for redistribution is relatively well understood. The percentage of the population agreeing with the statement, “the government should spend more money on welfare benefits for the poor, even if it leads to higher taxes,” peaked in 1989 and has been on a broad, downward trajectory ever since. More people disagreed than agreed with the statement for the first time in 2007.
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