The transition countries pose a challenge for the idea of an inequality trap. They rank high on corruption, low on generalized trust, but comparatively low on inequality – though income disparities have been rising, often sharply, in almost all of these countries. Despite this “challenge,” I have generally found support for my argument linking perceptions of inequality, low trust, and high levels of grand corruption in transition countries. Especially in Romania, where perceptions of inequality are widespread and lead to demands for redistribution of wealth, the inequality trap argument receives strong support.

How well does the inequality trap account fare in a setting where all three conditions – high corruption, high inequality, and low out-group trust – all hold? African states largely, though hardly universally, meet all three conditions: high levels of corruption and inequality and low generalized trust. Such settings might qualify as a critical test of the framework. Strong support for the argument would bolster my account significantly while negative results would call it into question.