Perceptions of Anomie in Society Shape Support for Wealth Redistribution

Understanding the factors that influence support for wealth redistribution is essential to address growing economic divides around the world. We propose that perceptions of anomie—the belief that society’s social and political fabric is crumbling—can influence support for redistribution in opposing ways. When people see society as deteriorating, they may seek drastic change, increasing support for redistribution. Conversely, viewing society as descending into anomie may also foster a belief that the government will mismanage redistributed wealth, thereby reducing support. Study 1 examined these relationships in a U.S. sample, confirming the presence of these two opposing pathways, and Study 2 then replicated the findings in the UK. Study 3 tested this model experimentally, introducing the ‘anomie paradigm’ to explore how perceptions of anomie cause shifts in psychology. Here, participants were exposed to a fictitious society characterized by high or low anomie. The high (relative to low) anomie condition increased support for redistribution through a desire for change but simultaneously decreased support via concerns over government misuse. These findings highlight how perceptions of societal breakdown can shape redistributive preferences through co-occurring psychological processes with opposing implications for policy support.