Visible inequality drives redistribution

An experiment and agent‑based model show that when lower‑income people are repeatedly exposed to richer peers in their visible social sample, they become more likely to vote for higher taxes and redistribution — but the same visibility can also increase the risk of conflict. The result implies that who you see in your daily life (neighbors, coworkers, online peers) systematically shapes political support for economic policies. — If social exposure alone shifts redistribution preferences and conflict propensity, urban design, segregation, platform algorithms, and political messaging can all alter public support for economic policy — making visibility a policy lever and a governance risk.