Inequalities in Europe revealed in new report
A data summary on the Make it Equal theme has been published by the Infra4NextGen project, funded by the European Union.
Analysing data collected by several cross-national surveys in Europe, the report is now available: Inequalities in Europe: From Personal Experiences to Policy Preferences.
The data summary provides a descriptive overview of how younger Europeans (aged under 35) perceive multiple forms of inequality compared to older respondents.
The report focuses on indicators including income inequality, material insecurity, social status anxiety, perceived tension between different groups of people, the causes of inequality, and attitudes towards the welfare state.
Analysis also concerns data from survey questions on obeying the rule of law, how important reducing inequalities is for democracy, whether men should be prioritised for employment opportunities when jobs are scarce, and attitudes towards gay men and lesbians.
The data summary found that women display higher concern about inequality than men and are more likely to perceive social tensions between different groups of people. They are also more likely to experience material insecurity.
Younger people are generally less concerned about income inequality but report higher ethnic and intergenerational tension and are becoming less likely to think that hard work and further education will lead to success.
Respondents aged under 35 in several countries express increasing scepticism towards meritocratic ideals and the rule of law, and greater belief in the importance of family wealth and social connections as paths to success.
The report states that young people "are also less likely to be financially secure, and more likely to view social welfare positively."
"These perceptions influence attitudes toward redistribution, welfare policy, and democratic participation, making them essential for designing inclusive and responsive policies that address both lived conditions and the legitimacy of social institutions."
The data summary was written by the relevant academic experts involved in the Infra4NextGen project, Susan Banducci (University of Birmingham), with István György Tóth and Dániel Bremer (TÁRKI Social Research Institute).
The analysis draws on repeated cross-sectional surveys including the European Quality of Life Survey (Eurostat), European Social Survey, Gender and Generations Survey, and International Social Survey Programme.
Data collected in this project via the CROss-National Online Survey (CRONOS-3) Panel in 11 countries is also analysed.
Two more data summaries will be published over the coming weeks, with similar analysis conducted for the Make it Green and Make it Strong themes.
Read the data summary: Inequalities in Europe: From Personal Experiences to Policy Preferences
Provided by European Social Survey ERIC
