There is growing support for using global income poverty measures that account for both own income and relative income. The World Bank has adopted a global line that depends on both. Unfortunately, with preference heterogeneity over own and relative income, the standard poverty indices are not...

We provide an experimental test of theories to explain differences in redistribution preferences across countries. We involved participants in standardized situations of redistribution in four Western countries, varying the relevance of self-interest and uncertainty over initial earnings. Demand...