High income inequality fuels demand for democratic participation in new democracies.
The study looked at how income inequality affects people's desire to participate in politics in new democracies. By surveying people in 13 Central and Eastern European countries, the researchers found that those who see high levels of income inequality are more likely to want to be involved in democratic processes. Surprisingly, the overall support for political engagement and individual perceptions of inequality were not linked to national income inequality or democratic performance.