2021/09/08 by Giampaolo Bonomi, Nicola Gennaioli, Guido Tabellini · 206 citations
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Cultural conflict #Cultural identity #Culture, Economy, and Development Studies #Economics #Electoral Systems and Political Participation #Identity politics #Law #Polarization (electrochemistry) #Political economy #Political science #Politics #Positive economics #Psychology #Redistribution (election) #Salience (neuroscience) #Salient #Social Capital and Networks #Social group #Social identity theory #Social psychology #Social science #Sociology
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/qje/qjab034
published in The Quarterly Journal of Economics 136(4), 2371-2411 (Oxford University Press)
openalex publication_date 2021/09/08 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Abstract We present a theory of identity politics that builds on two ideas. First, when policy conflict renders a certain social divide—economic or cultural—salient, a voter identifies with her economic or cultural group. Second, the voter slants her beliefs toward the stereotype of the group she identifies with. We obtain three implications. First, voters’ beliefs are polarized along the distinctive features of salient groups. Second, if the salience of cultural policies increases, cultural conflict rises, redistributive conflict falls, and polarization becomes more correlated across issues. Third, economic shocks hurting conservative voters may trigger a switch to cultural identity, causing these voters to demand less redistribution. We discuss U.S. survey evidence in light of these implications.