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Economic Inequality and Nonviolent Protest *
Author(s) -
Solt Frederick
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
social science quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.482
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1540-6237
pISSN - 0038-4941
DOI - 10.1111/ssqu.12198
Subject(s) - grievance , inequality , economic inequality , politics , social inequality , power (physics) , survey data collection , european social survey , multilevel model , demographic economics , sociology , development economics , economics , political science , mathematical analysis , mathematics , statistics , physics , quantum mechanics , machine learning , computer science , law
Objective Despite substantial theorizing, the relationship between economic inequality and participation in nonviolent protests has not been satisfactorily examined empirically. Methods Using multilevel models of data from four waves of the European Social Survey, this article examines whether differences in inequality across countries and over time help explain people's engagement in peaceful protest. Results It finds that greater inequality reduces protest participation for all those with incomes below the top quintile. Conclusions This result provides strong support for the relative power theory of political participation; the predictions of grievance and resource theories regarding inequality's effects on protest are not supported.