engleski

Social and Educational Determinants of System Legitimacy, Inequality and Meritocracy Beliefs – A Preliminary Multilevel Study

Based on data from the European Value Study and the application of multilevel regression analysis, the paper attempts to determine the individual and group determinants of the system legitimacy and the perception of inequality and meritocracy. A total of nine different indi-cators were used as predictor and criterion variables in the analyses. The results show that the con-nection between satisfaction with the political system generally fits into the so-called social dominance theory, which holds that persons in higher social positions, in this study men and more educated persons, will more often have more positive attitudes towards the system. When it comes to the attitudes towards inequality, it was found that people of right-wing political orientation have more negative attitudes towards state measures to reduce inequality, and more religious people and people with lower education and women have more positive attitudes. The analysis also shows a moderate impact of the socialist value legacy, given that the elderly in the former socialist countries have more positive attitudes towards the obligation of society to ensure the provision of basic needs of all citizens.

inequality: meritocracy: education: socialism ; European Values Study

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