Abstract
Several economic models have been formulated to explain the elements determining the levels of income redistribution in different countries. This bibliographic revision tries to clarify the most important factors found between the models that consider the role of social beliefs of population. The evolution of the theory begins with the idea of a decisive voter and majority rule, as exposed in Meltzer & Richard (1981), going through political, economic and behavioral explanations given by Alesina et al. (2001). Latter developments of Alesina & Glaeser (2004), Alesina & Angeletos (2005) and Figueiredo (2012) embrace the social belief in the role of luck as a fundamental element of the income redistribution in developed countries and the perception about inequality of opportunity in Latin American countries. We consider that the contrasting empirical evidences foster the development of new models that incorporate social beliefs as determinants of income redistribution.