Perceptions of Wealth Inequality Survey (PWIS)

Discussions about social inequality often focus on income, but wealth represents a distinct and often more complex dimension. Wealth includes all assets a person owns—such as property, savings, and financial investments—minus any debts. It is less visible than income and harder to estimate, raising important questions:

• Who is considered wealthy in Germany, and is that seen as fair?
• Where would someone with €350,000 in wealth be placed—among the bottom, the middle, or the top of the distribution?
• What role do gender, migration background, and the origin of wealth play in these perceptions?

The Perceptions of Wealth Inequality Survey addresses these questions. Developed by an international team of five researchers during the Spring School on Perceptions of Wealth Inequality (SPINE) at the University of Bamberg in March 2025, the project uses a nationally representative online survey in Germany. Respondents are asked to evaluate the perceived and fair wealth position of fictional individuals—from those without assets to millionaires—and to reflect on their own position and whether they believe the state should be responsible for organizing redistribution. The project contributes to understanding how perceptions—rather than just facts—shape public attitudes toward inequality, fairness, and the role of government.