The unequal transmission of wealth within families
Siblings do not always benefit equally from parental wealth transfers. This study examines whether different wealth components evoke distinct distributive principles, thereby contributing to the explanation of unequal intergenerational transfers within families. Based on a multifactorial survey experiment in Germany (N=11,968 observations based on 2,992 respondents), we test whether the application of three distributive principles (equality, entitlement, dynastic succession) varies across cash, housing, and business assets. We deliberately oversampled substantial wealth owners, enabling us to highlight differences in attitudes toward wealth transfers between this group and a nationally representative sample. In line with previous research, equality emerges as the dominant principle for all asset types. Siblings’ gender and birth order do not affect evaluations of unequal transfers. However, wealthy respondents are less likely to endorse equality if one child seems better able to maintain the family business than their sibling. The affluent thus appear to legitimize unequal transfers based on concerns for continuous wealth accumulation and the perpetuation of key economic assets across generations.
Date:
5 February 2025, 16:00
Venue:
Nuffield College, New Road OX1 1NF
Venue Details:
Butler Room (D Staircase)
Speaker:
Nhat An Trinh (Nuffield College)
Organising department:
Nuffield College
Organiser:
Erzsebet Bukodi (Nuffield College)
Organiser contact email address:
sociology.secretary@nuffield.ox.ac.uk
Part of:
Nuffield College Sociology Seminars
Booking required?:
Not required
Audience:
Members of the University only
Editor:
Maxine Collett
