Public Support for Patriotic Education under Authoritarianism: Evidence from Russia

• In Event: Shaping Minds, Securing Power: State-Directed Education and Cultural Hegemony in Eurasia

Abstract

Recent studies of authoritarianism increasingly focus on how regimes employ various methods of political control, such as propaganda and censorship, to shape citizen preferences and encourage compliance. Education, particularly patriotic education, can serve as a key tool in this process. While much is understood about why autocrats invest in patriotic education, less is known about how citizens perceive efforts to instill patriotism in the classroom—whether they oppose or support them. Through a series of survey experiments conducted in Russia during the summer and autumn of 2024, we find that Russian citizens generally express strong support
for patriotic education. This support remains unchanged even when critiques are presented, with criticisms from opposition figures being far less tolerated compared to those from parent or teachers. These findings suggest that methods of political control, including educational initiatives, may garner widespread support rather than resistance from the public, especially when framed around unifying "valence" issues like patriotism.

Authors

• Quintin H. Beazer, Florida State U

• Olga Gasparyan, U in Berlin (Germany)

• Eugenia Nazrullaeva, U of Glasgow (UK)

• Ksenia Anna Northmore-Ball, Queen Mary, U of London (UK)

• Katerina Ivanovna Tertytchnaya, U of Oxford (UK)