Should Fines Depend on Income? A Questionnaire Study on Values and Institutions

How do we make sense of the cross-country heterogeneity in value judgments emerging from international surveys? Our study suggests that the answer needs to go beyond the adaptation of values to existing institutions and should tap into deeper beliefs. In our case, Finnish respondents do support their country's system of income-dependent fines more strongly than respondents in countries using a fixed fine system. However, they also hold different beliefs on the relationship between income and well-being and hence on the burdens imposed by fining offenders at different income levels. A further illustration is provided in the context of income taxation.