White Americans who feel they are on the losing side of politics are more likely to oppose economic redistribution programs. This effect only appears when people compare their political standing directly to that of racial minorities. The findings were published in the journal Research and Politics. Economic redistribution involves transferring wealth or income within a society, usually through taxation and social welfare programs. In many developed nations, high levels of income inequality usually lead to increased public demand for these programs. The United States is a notable exception to this trend. The country features high economic inequality, yet public support for government redistribution remains relatively low. Political scientists have proposed several explanations for this paradox. Some researchers point to American individualism or largely optimistic beliefs about upward mobility. Others suggest that many voters simply lack knowledge about how economic policies actually function. More recent research looks at social relations rather than individual knowledge. People do not form their economic preferences in a vacuum. They compare themselves to others to figure out where they stand in …