Willingness to pay for pollution prevention among Transylvanian Hungarians:

A comparative sociological analysis based on EVS data

Abstract

This study addresses whether Transylvanian ethnic Hungarians exhibit distinctive environmental attitudes compared to populations in Hungary and Romania, specifically examining what sociodemographic and attitudinal factors drive willingness to pay (WTP) for pollution prevention. We argue that minority status and regional context produce unique pathways to environmental engagement that reflect cultural identity rather than political motivations. Using binary logistic regression analysis on European Values Study 2017 data, we compare three samples: Transylvanian Hungarians (N=1,106), Hungarians (N=1,514), and Romanians (N=1,613). Results reveal that Transylvanian Hungarians demonstrate the highest WTP levels (64% agreement), driven primarily by geographic concentration in ethnically Hungarian regions, education, altruism, and trust in environmental organizations. Unlike Hungary, where WTP correlates with urban residence, political interest, and income, Transylvanian Hungarian environmental concern operates as depoliticized philanthropy rooted in rural areas with strong ethnic identity. Romanian patterns show minimal predictive structure and negative political engagement effects. These findings suggest that environmental policy implementation in minority regions requires understanding culturally embedded rather than politically motivated environmental citizenship.