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The design of welfare: unraveling taxpayers' preferences

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  • Collewet, Marion
  • Fairley, Kim
  • Kessels, Roselinde
  • Knoef, Marike
  • van Vliet, Olaf

Abstract

We study Dutch taxpayers’ preferences in designing a social welfare system. With help of a choice experiment we ask 2000 respondents to make choices between policy packages, characterized by different levels of income for welfare recipients, of obligations, of sanctions, of earnings and gifts disregards, and of taxes for the average Dutch household. The results show that respondents are in favor of relatively generous benefits and disregards, but also find monitoring and activation very important. Both self-interest and altruism, as well as trust in the government, appear to shape respondents' preferences. Respondents’ preferences line up with their voting behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Collewet, Marion & Fairley, Kim & Kessels, Roselinde & Knoef, Marike & van Vliet, Olaf, 2024. "The design of welfare: unraveling taxpayers' preferences," OSF Preprints 4am7e, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:osfxxx:4am7e
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/4am7e
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