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Diverting Domestic Turmoil

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  • Ashani Amarasinghe

Abstract

When faced with intense domestic turmoil, governments may strategically en- gage in foreign interactions to divert the public's attention away from pressing do- mestic issues. I test this hypothesis for a globally representative sample of 190 countries, at the monthly level, over the years 1997-2014. Using textual data on media{reported events retrieved from the GDELT database, I find robust evidence that governments resort to diversionary tactics in times of domestic turmoil and that such diversion takes the form of verbally aggressive foreign interactions, typically targeted at `weak' countries and countries closely linked along religious, linguistic and geographic dimensions. Strategically important trade partners are unlikely to be victimized. These fndings suggest that diversionary foreign policy is, in fact, systematically practised by governments as a strategic tool, and that such diversion is exercised in a manner that may not lead to large scale costs or risks of retaliation.

Suggested Citation

  • Ashani Amarasinghe, 2020. "Diverting Domestic Turmoil," Monash Economics Working Papers 04-20, Monash University, Department of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:mos:moswps:2020-04
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    4. Vu M. Ngo & Toan L. D. Huynh & Phuc V. Nguyen & Huan H. Nguyen, 2022. "Public sentiment towards economic sanctions in the Russia–Ukraine war," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 69(5), pages 564-573, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Diversionary foreign policy; domestic turmoil; football; connectivity.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F51 - International Economics - - International Relations, National Security, and International Political Economy - - - International Conflicts; Negotiations; Sanctions
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism

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