Mass Beliefs about the Working Poor and Support for Redistributive Policies.

This article examines American public beliefs about the working poor (WP)—defined as individuals who are employed but earn incomes below the official poverty level—and their political implications. Survey data indicate that most Americans, including Republicans and those with unfavorable views of the poor, recognize the prevalence of working poverty and attribute it primarily to structural factors such as low wages rather than individual failings. Local exposure to low-income populations, particularly when the poor are predominantly White, is associated with greater awareness of working poverty and more supportive attitudes toward redistributive policies like increased spending on the poor and higher taxes on the wealthy; however, these associations weaken in areas where the poor are mostly non-White, suggesting racial biases influence perceptions. The findings highlight the political relevance of beliefs about the working poor in shaping public support for economic redistribution and identify gaps for future research on race, local context, and policy attitudes.