How Propaganda Intrigues Popular Defense against Foreign Criticism in China

• In Event: Political Communication Across Asia

Abstract

When facing political criticism on policy, how can autocrats retain popular support by propaganda? We proposed two strategies, the informational strategy that assures prospective economic benefits and the ideological strategy that appeals to nationalist pride. We argue that the informational strategy is less effective because it intrigues people’s awareness of policy cost. We conducted an online survey experiment in China with a novel measurement of popular support --- respondents’ written comments to defend China’s overseas student policies. We found that when respondents were treated with high-information criticism to the policy, ideological propaganda encouraged defending behaviors. Informational propaganda had no effects independently and eroded the effects of ideology when respondents were treated with both conditions. When the low-information criticism was presented, the willingness to defend the policy was generally higher but the propaganda strategies had no effects. Our findings demonstrate that ideology is more effective in resisting regime criticism and mobilizing supports than economic appeals. When negative evidence is blocked from the citizens, propaganda adds little value in gaining popular support. These results deepen our understanding of performance legitimacy and why censorship may tolerate political criticism.

Authors

• Dongshu Liu, Syracuse University

• Li Shao, Syracuse University