Abstract
Who bears the responsibility for providing public goods? In this paper, we examine how alignment with the current president influences individuals’ opinions about the normative role of government in welfare provision, and examine the behavioral consequences of these beliefs. In particular, we examine how changes in beliefs induced by electoral turnovers affect people’s inclination to provide welfare privately through donating to charities. Using 17 years of US tax return data, we find that alignment with the government leads to a reduction in charitable donations. Specifically, when accounting for government spending, supporters of the incumbent government lower their charitable contributions, while detractors increase theirs. This shift in donation behavior is consistent with shifts in people’s beliefs about the role and efficiency of the government, as partisans across the political spectrum report higher confidence in governments led by their preferred party and assign them greater responsibilities in addressing societal challenges.
George Melios
Researcher
My research primarily focuses on the foundations of democracy how democratic institutions function, how citizens interact with them and how they can be improved.