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Title: The state and structural vulnerability: Policy egalitarianism and household income

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2008

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Abstract: The distribution of household income in the United States is remarkably unequal. Stratification researchers predict levels ofincome in terms of individual characteristics and structural features of the economy and society. These researchers, however, oftenneglect the role of the state. Political sociologists have begun to examine the impact of the state on aggregate levels of inequalityacross nations. I build on this literature to explain household income in the United States. Utilizing 2000 IPUMS data, I clarify howhousehold income varies across the sub-national U.S. states according to policy configurations. I find that sub-national states withmore egalitarian policies help to buttress the relative incomes of groups vulnerable to low incomes, particularly service workers andsingle mother families. These results suggest that studies of income and income inequality should consider the role of policies.

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Authors: Moller, Stephanie

Periodical (Full): Research in Social Stratification and Mobility

Issue: 4

Volume: 26

Pages: 323-340

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

Topics: Labor Force and Occupational Structure, Poverty and Welfare

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