In more gender equal countries gender differences in redistributive preferences are significantly larger (women are systematically pro-redistribution); right-leaning women are more favorable to redistribution than right-leaning men

Women’s Voice on Redistribution: from Gender Norms to Taxation. Monica Bozzano, Paola Profeta, Riccardo Puglisi, Simona Scabrosetti. Società italiana di economia pubblica, Working Papper No 768, Mar 2021. www.siepweb.it/siep/images/joomd/1616513597Bozzano_et_al_WP_SIEP_768.pdf

Abstract: Gender norms, i.e. the role of men and women in the society, are a fundamental channel through which culture may influence preferences for redistribution and public policies. We consider both cross-country and individual level evidence on this mechanism. We find that in countries that are historically more gender-equal the tax system today is more redistributive. At the individual level, we find that in more gender equal countries gender differences in redistributive preferences are significantly larger. This effect is driven by women becoming systematically more favorable to redistribution, while there are no significant changes for men. Interestingly, there is no gender-based difference in preferences for redistribution among left-leaning citizens, while this difference is significant among moderates in the expected direction: ideologically moderate women are more favorable to redistribution than moderate men, and this effect is even stronger among right-leaning individuals.

Keywords: gender inequality, comparative public finance, tax mix, institutions, historical origins

JEL classification: H10, H20, N30, Z18