Fall Research Expo 2021

Limitarianism in America: is there a riches line?

My Project surveyed perceptions of inequality and wealth in the United States. The goal was to find out whether Americans believe that there is a level at which wealth is morally unacceptable, and if so, where.

This study explores the real life implications of Limitarianism, which says that there is a level at which further wealth is unacceptable, and proposes a complete tax of excess wealth. Most Americans do not know how the rich live which makes it difficult to decide whether there is an unacceptable level of wealth. This project solves the issue by creating vignettes of different levels of wealth. The vignettes include home wealth, car(s), vacations and other forms of wealth. Respondents judge the vignettes as rich or not, and then as acceptable or not. 

I originally created the survey with the intent to distribute it in July. However, I was able to meet with Dr. Ingrid Robeyns, who originated limitarianism. She also created the first survey to study the wealth line in the Netherlands. My study is heavily influenced by her work. After meeting with her, she recommended that I adjust the vignettes to accurately reflect life at the different levels of wealth. To do this I needed to add another member to my team. I am currently working with a Sociologist to redesign the vignettes. The goal is to distribute the survey next semester and publish the results

PRESENTED BY
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
College of Arts & Sciences 2022
Advised By
Raj Patel
Interim Associate Director of the Department of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Join Karl for a virtual discussion
PRESENTED BY
College Alumni Society Undergraduate Research Grant
College of Arts & Sciences 2022
Advised By
Raj Patel
Interim Associate Director of the Department of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics

Comments

Really interesting project. I wonder if you've given any thought to the kind of collorary to your work, that is people's feeling about their perception of others living beyond their means (in other words when people have a marker of wealth but others think they do not actually have that wealth). Would extreme wealth, on the other hand, be moree acceptable to people, if those with the wealth displayed none of its markers? 

Thanks for commenting.

Good question. One of the questions I intend to ask respondents is why they find certain levels of wealth to be unacceptable. Is it because of their spending habits, or is it the level of wealth that they find wrong innately? Also interesting is the idea (not addressed in this study but perhaps I will address it in the future) that certain actions may make riches acceptable, or at least more palatable (e.g. philanthropy).

Also interesting is the part about people living beyond their means. This is outside the scope of my study but I think how people judge others' wealth is limited by what they can perceive, which is why people spend so much to look rich! This study tries to avoid that potential bias by making net worth very clear, but you're right that there may be little outward difference between someone who spends conspicuously via debt vs someone who is far wealthier but more modest. It is said that those who are truly wealthy (hundreds of millions, billions) live modestly as they do not have to shout their wealth. Does that make their wealth more acceptable? Maybe to some people. However it still can be argued that no matter how modestly one lives that their total wealth is too much.