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Political salience and regime resilience

Author

Listed:
  • Huck, Steffen
  • Humphreys, Macartan
  • Schweighofer-Kodritsch, Sebastian

Abstract

We study a version of a canonical model of attacks against political regimes where agents have an expressive utility for taking political stances that is scaled by the salience of political decision-making. Increases in political salience can have divergent effects on regime stability depending on costs of being on the losing side. When regimes have weak sanctioning mechanisms, middling levels of salience can pose the greatest threat, as regime supporters are insufficiently motivated to act on their preferences and regime opponents are sufficiently motivated to stop conforming. Our results speak to the phenomenon of charged debates about democracy by identifying conditions under which heightened interest in political decision-making can pose a threat to democracy in and of itself.

Suggested Citation

  • Huck, Steffen & Humphreys, Macartan & Schweighofer-Kodritsch, Sebastian, 2023. "Political salience and regime resilience," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Economics of Change SP II 2023-305r, WZB Berlin Social Science Center, revised 2023.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:wzbeoc:spii2023305r
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Timur Kuran, 1989. "Sparks and prairie fires: A theory of unanticipated political revolution," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 61(1), pages 41-74, April.
    3. Shadmehr, Mehdi & Bernhardt, Dan, 2011. "Collective Action with Uncertain Payoffs: Coordination, Public Signals, and Punishment Dilemmas," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 105(4), pages 829-851, November.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Democracy; salience; insurgence;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C72 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Game Theory and Bargaining Theory - - - Noncooperative Games
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions

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