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Fearmongering

Thu, August 29, 3:30 to 4:00pm, Marriott, Exhibit Hall B South

Abstract

Both autocratic and democratic elected leaders engage in fearmongering in order to garner support for certain policies or to avoid challenges to the regime. Using a framework akin to a global game, we analyze whether stronger or weaker authorities are more likely to instill fear in their citizenry. In our model, a leader first decides the amount of fearmongering she conducts. Having observed the leader’s decision and received an independent signal of the regime's strength, a mass of citizens decides whether to revolt against the regime. Results are interesting in light of recent theoretical accounts which argue that under some conditions fear may empower citizens to challenge a regime.

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