Stumbling and Mumbling: Redistribution vs ethnic diversity

September 13, 2006

Redistribution vs ethnic diversity

Lars Smith highlights one of the most depressing trade-offs - ethnic diversity reduces social spending and redistribution. He cites this paper (pdf) by Alberto Alesina and colleagues. But we could add this (pdf) from Enzo Luttmer and this (pdf) from John Roemer.
The question is: why? This fine book by Joe Oppenheimer and Norman Frohlich (some of which is summarized here (pdf)) might give us clues. They've conducted laboratory experiments to find out how much demand there is for redistribution. And they've found that redistribution increases when there's more communication within groups and less suspicion that people will free-ride upon others' efforts. Maybe ethnic diversity reduces redistribution, then, by reducing communication and increasing the suspicion that one will be taken for a mug.
But this merely raises another issue, which Amartya Sen complains about in Identity and Violence* - why is ethnicity so salient? Why don't differences in height, regional background or the football team you support retard redistribution? Why do people identify so much with their ethnicity?
Which raises another question. If our identification with ethnicity is irrational and arbitrary, why should it count as a good reason against redistribution? Why should irrational beliefs have any moral status?
Lars cites Milton Friedman as saying: “You cannot simultaneously have free immigration and a welfare state.” But maybe there's a deeper problem for egalitarians - can you simultaneously have democracy and redistribution?
* I've only just started reading this; I'll review it soon.

September 13, 2006 in Equality | Permalink

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451cbef69e200d834b0aa5353ef

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Redistribution vs ethnic diversity:

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

Posted by: |

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type:

Your comment has been posted. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Stumbling and Mumbling

An extremist, not a fanatic

September 13, 2006

Redistribution vs ethnic diversity

TrackBack

Comments

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

Post a comment

My book

TOP BLOGGING

Recent Posts

blogs I like

A few links

Archives

Why S&M?

About me