What Affects Public Support for Anti-foreign Protests under Authoritarian Rule?

• In Event: Political Mobilization through Violence and Non-violence

Abstract

What affects public support for anti-foreign protests in authoritarian regimes? Extant research suggests that anti-foreign protests generally receive high public support because they target foreign governments and demonstrate participants’ patriotism for the country. However, in many circumstances, two countries in a conflict may be economically dependent on each other. I argue that individuals aware of the economic consequences are less likely to support anti-foreign protests. However, public attitudes towards the protests also depend on the perception of the scope of the economic consequences. Perceived adverse consequences on the economy as a whole may reduce support for anti-foreign protests, while perceived narrow impacts restricted to a specific group do not affect public opinion. I test this argument using an online survey experiment conducted on 1500 Vietnamese citizens, which manipulates the economic and political consequences of an anti-China protest. In general, my findings are in line with my theoretical expectations.

Author

• Mai Thanh Truong, Marquette University