Can Redistribution Change Policy Views? Aid and Attitudes toward Refugees in Uganda
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Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Center for Global Development
Abstract
Many public policies create (perceived) winners and losers, but there is little evidence on whether
redistribution can support new political economy equilibria that raise aggregate welfare. We conduct a
randomized controlled trial in Kampala, Uganda studying foreign aid programs for Ugandans which
are explicitly connected to the refugee presence. Cash grants labeled as part of the refugee aid
response substantially increase support for admitting more refugees and allowing them to work and
integrate. Sharing information about public goods funded by the refugee response has smaller, though
still significant, effects. Impacts persist for at least two years and are associated with changing beliefs
about the economic effects of refugees. We find minimal impacts of intergroup contact, implemented
as business mentorship by an experienced refugee. Overall, our results suggest that economic
interventions can meaningfully shape policy views when the connection between the policy and the
assistance is salient.
Description
Keywords
Welfare, Refugees, Political Economy of Aid
Citation
Baseler, T., Ginn, T., Hakiza, R., Ogude-Chambert, H., & Woldemikael, O. Can Redistribution Change Policy Views?.