Redistribution, inequality and political participation: Evidence from Mexico during the 2008 financial crisis

Arbeitspapier

This paper explores the relationship between a large government cash transfer programme, changes in inequality, and political participation in Mexico. The results show that increases in the coverage of the programme during the 2008 financial crisis resulted in greater individual participation in the last presidential elections and in higher individual propensity to vote, particularly for the incumbent party. The programme was particularly effective in increasing political participation among rural and indigenous groups, and had a mitigating effect on participation in presidential elections and the propensity to vote among the urban unskilled. The programme resulted also in reductions in individual participation in protests. Further analysis suggests that these changes were driven by redistributive gains following the changes to the cash transfer programme.

Object Details

• ISBN: 978-92-9256-184-0
• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: WIDER Working Paper ; No. 2016/140

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement ; Analysis of Collective Decision-Making: General ; Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior ; Taxation and Subsidies: Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies ; Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
• Subject: conditional cash transfers ; inequality ; Mexico ; protests ; voting behaviour

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Justino, Patricia ; Martorano, Bruno
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)
• (where): Helsinki
• (when): 2016

Further information

• DOI: doi:10.35188/UNU-WIDER/2016/184-0
• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/161523
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:45 AM CET