The societal acceptance of social assistance : an empirical investigation from a moral economy perspective

Abstract

"This article examines on which grounds the German population is willing to support a social policy program targeted towards minorities such as social assistance. Using our own survey data and applying linear regression analysis, we test several hypotheses concerning the influence of self-interest, justice-orientations, and victim-blaming attitudes towards welfare recipients on two indicators of support for social assistance. A central finding is that the effects can be interpreted in line with the concept of a 'moral economy', in that the justice orientations of the respondents as well as their attitudes towards welfare recipients correspond with the norms incorporated in the institutional architecture of social assistance." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Sachweh, P., Ullrich, C. & Christoph, B. (2006): Die gesellschaftliche Akzeptanz der Sozialhilfe. Eine Untersuchung aus moralökonomischer Perspektive. In: Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, Vol. 58, No. 3, p. 489-509. DOI:10.1007/s11575-006-0107-5