ABSTRACT
Chapter 5 is the second empirical chapter of the book and it focuses on the relation between structural situation and wage distribution fairness. The chapter first introduces the theoretical foundations for the analysis: self-interest theory, enlightenment theory, and the individual-level interpretation of the tunnel effect. It then continues to investigate how selected structural factors (education level, household income level, employment status, and gender) influence wage distribution fairness. It also investigates whether the effects of structural factors vary across three post-socialist societies (Hungary, East Germany, and the Czech Republic). The key finding of the chapter is that self-interest theory can be confirmed, but the structural factors only have a moderately effect on wage distribution fairness compared to contextual effects. Among the structural factors, education level proved to have the strongest effect. The analysis also showed that the structural effects are to varying degree relevant across societies and that the different transition trajectories of societies help rationalize the reasons behind the differences.
