Ideology as a Determinant of Soft Power: Evidence from Global Opinions on China

• In Event: Experimental Approaches to Understanding International Cooperation

Abstract

Why do rising powers like China evoke negative attitudes from the citizens of some countries but not from others? Factors like economic and strategic interest are of course part of the answer, but this article argues that distinctions in states’ political ideology and identity have an independent effect. Liberal democracy is a cleavage in international affairs along which countries and their citizens form social groups. As a result, people from liberal democracies tend to evaluate China’s influence as being harmful. Furthermore, changes in China’s respect for liberal values also impact global sentiment. Three empirical studies drawing from cross-national observational data, original survey experiments, and a difference-in-differences analysis of historical polls confirm that liberal democracy (and not just electoral institutions) has a causal effect on foreign perceptions about China. The findings advance theoretical and policy debates about soft power, great power competition, and the role of political ideology in international society.

Author

• Jonathan Art Chu, Perry World House, University of Pennsylvania