How Chinese Citizens Respond to Government Propaganda on Economic Inequality

• In Event: Poster Session: Division 13 Politics of (former) Communist Societies

Abstract

Economic inequality has increased significantly in China. Widening inequality contradicts the
official populist ideology that claims to represent the interests of all Chinese people, therefore the Chinese government and official media cover the issue of economic inequality carefully, emphasizing the government’s efforts in addressing inequality. How does this government rhetoric affect Chinese citizens’ attitudes about inequality? I examine this question with original data collected through a survey experiment in China. The results show that the low-income Chinese believe propaganda, but the middle class is resistant to propaganda. After reading the government rhetoric, the low-income class thinks of inequality a less serious problem and supports the government’s policy proposals. However, the middle class is more critical of inequality when exposed to the government rhetoric. They think inequality is unfair, illegitimate and intolerable. The high-income class is more supportive of redistribution after exposed to the rhetoric. This study concludes with discussions on the implications of these results on authoritarian legitimacy.

Author

• Shuai Jin, University of Massachusetts Boston