ABSTRACT
Citizens are known to compare living conditions within their country, and this causes them to develop perceptions of social inequality and feelings of social deprivation. This chapter is interested in the question of whether citizens have also become used to comparing themselves with other Europeans, thus developing a sensitivity for social divisions in Europe and potential feelings of social deprivation. These questions are of particular importance for a study of political contentions within Europe because comparisons might fuel political dissatisfaction with national and European politics. In order to answer the question in empirical terms, this chapter makes use of a representative survey conducted in nine countries (Germany, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) that asked respondents to assess their living conditions and those of other reference groups, among them friends, neighbours, their fellow citizens and other European countries. Findings show that Europeans are not only able to assess living conditions abroad, but that their assessments also converge and match macro-economic indicators. The evidence thus suggests that European citizens have internalised a common map of European living conditions that defines joint benchmarks, rankings and divisions.
