ABSTRACT
This chapter outlines the link between wealth, vote choice, and political polarization. It models the effects of wealth on one form of voting behavior, vote choice, in three archetypal countries – the United States, Germany, and Sweden, each representing a distinct political and social welfare regime. The chapter describes wealth distribution in each of the three countries and justifies why some key conceptual and empirical differences between income and wealth warrant the analysis of these two economic resources separately. It presents an empirical analysis that assesses the role of wealth as a determinant of vote choice in case countries chosen to represent a range of political and social histories. The chapter concludes with a discussion of empirical findings in relation to political polarization. Because no studies to date link wealth, vote choice, and political polarization, most of the territory covered is new. As such, the claims made in the chapter are intended to prompt further conceptual discussion and empirical analysis.
