Labourism Versus Social Democracy? Attitudes to Inequality in Australia and Sweden

Abstract

Among the countries which form the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Sweden and Australia are often seen as belonging to opposite ends of the spectrum. While the levels of taxes and government spending in Sweden are the highest in the OECD, Australia is amongst the lowest taxers and spenders. Evidence from the Luxembourg Income Study also reveals considerable differences in the distribution of economic well-being, with Sweden having the most equal income distribution and Australia coming towards the bottom of the income inequality ranking of countries included in the Study.

This report asks to what extent these and other differences between Australia and Sweden have been accompanied by distinctly different attitudes to inequality. Using data from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP) various dimensions of attitudes to inequality are mapped and analysed.