A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF EQUITY JUDGEMENTS IN LITHUANIA AND NORWAY ∗ J.A. Jungeilges † T.Theisen ‡ October 18, 2004 Abstract A questionnaire-type experiment was conducted in Lithuania and Norway in order to generate two samples suitable for a comparative examination of equity judgements. The results reveal large differences between the two countries. Norwe- gian probants had a much higher propensity to decide in accordance with Rawls’ second principle than had Lithuanian probants. Equity judgements are also strongly dependent on the context of choice. The results are interpreted within a framework describing the formation of (social) preferences. More specifically, differences in ob- served equity judgements in the two countries are related to differences in history, past experience and future prospects. JEL classification: D71; D63; P20 Keywords: distributive justice; Rawlsianism; metapreferences; multiple self model ∗ The authors wish to thank Wulf Gaertner for providing excellent working conditions in the Depart- ment of Economics at the University of Osnabr¨ uck. We appreciate the helpful comments from Andreas Falkenberg, Wulf Gaertner, Stanislav Klazar and Lars Schwettmann. Moreover, we are grateful to Linas Cekanavicius, Rasa Laurisoniene and Jonas Rasimavicius for their indispensable part in preparing the Lithuanian version of the questionnaire. Jonas Rasimavicius also organized and carried out the data col- lection in Vilnius. Professor Keilhaus Minnefond is gratefully acknowledged for providing Theis Theisen with a travel grant. † Agder University College; School of Management, Department of Economics and Business Ad- ministration, Servicebox 422, N-4604 Kristiansand S, Norway; Phone: +47 38141722; e-mail: jochen.jungeilges@hia.no; Department of Economics, University of Bielefeld, P.O. Box 100 131, Phone: +49 1712880408, e-mail: jjungeilges@wiwi.uni-bielefeld.de; ‡ Agder University College; School of Management, Department of Economics and Business Ad- ministration, Servicebox 422, N-4604 Kristiansand S, Norway; Phone: +47 38141526; e-mail: Theis.Theisen@hia.no 1