The moral consequences of economic growth: An empirical investigation

► We test Benjamin Friedman's hypothesis that income growth increases support for egalitarian social policy. ► We find support for a modified hypothesis: the taste for egalitarian policy is high when growth is rising, not high. ► The modified Friedman hypothesis is not particular to industrial or Western countries. ► Indeed, it holds more strongly among less developed than more developed countries. ► In rich countries, policy preferences depend more on the change inequality than the change in growth rates.