Mind the Gap: Understanding the Preferences of Economic Elites and the Mass Public

Rising inequality has spurred concerns about the excessive influence of economic elites on politics, which could threaten the cohesion and legitimacy of political systems. Based on register data from Denmark, this project examines the preferences economic elites hold over government policy - particularly related to redistribution and economic inequality - and compare them to the policy preferences of the wider public. We also examine how the source of affluence - wealth or income - shapes the policy preferences of economic elites, and whether partisanship serves to moderate elite preferences for redistribution. In this way, the project aims to contribute to international research - and public debate in Denmark and beyond - on the role of economic elites for government policy.