What They Have but Also Who They Are: Avarice, Elitism, and Public Support for Taxing the Rich.

This article examines how stereotypical perceptions of wealthy individuals influence public support for raising taxes on the rich, focusing on both resource-based attributes ("what they have") and character-based traits ("who they are"). Using conjoint experiments with nationally representative samples of American adults, the study finds that negative character traits—specifically avarice (e.g., tax avoidance, lack of charity) and elitism (e.g., snobbery, social distance from ordinary people)—significantly increase support for progressive taxation, even among groups typically opposed to redistribution such as Republicans and conservatives. In contrast, resource-based factors like income level and inherited wealth have more nuanced or limited effects, and excessive consumption shows little consistent impact. The findings suggest that public attitudes toward taxing the wealthy are shaped not only by perceptions of their wealth but also by moral judgments about their character, highlighting the potential influence of cultural and political narratives that emphasize these traits.