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Political and economic protests in authoritarian regimes

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Overview

Paper Summary › Explain Like I'm Five › Conflicts of Interest › Identified Limitations › Rating Explanation › Good to know › Topic Hierarchy › File Information ›

Paper Summary

Paperzilla title
Why Dictators Sometimes Cave: It's the Economy, Stupid!

This theoretical model explores how the types of demands made during protests in authoritarian regimes (economic vs. political) influence whether the dictator accommodates or represses the protesters. It finds that economic protests are more likely to be accommodated, while political protests tend to get shut down, and that protesters' income levels influence the kinds of demands they make.

Explain Like I'm Five

If you're protesting in a dictatorship, asking for better jobs or cheaper food is more likely to get you what you want than demanding more political freedom. Dictators care more about staying in power than making people happy, so they will avoid political concessions if they can.

Possible Conflicts of Interest

None identified

Identified Limitations

Lack of Empirical Testing
The model presented is purely theoretical and hasn't been tested with real-world data. It's unclear how well the model's predictions would hold up in practice.
Simplified Model of Protest Demands
The model reduces protest demands to a single dimension (economic vs. political). In reality, protests are often complex and involve multiple intersecting demands, which the model doesn't fully capture.
Assumed Rationality
The model assumes all actors (protesters and dictator) are perfectly rational and have complete information. In reality, emotions, misperceptions, and incomplete information can significantly influence decision-making in protest situations.
Limited Scope
The model focuses specifically on authoritarian regimes and excludes democratic contexts. The dynamics of protest and government response are likely to be different in democratic settings.
No Uncertainty
The model assumes perfect and complete information, which is unrealistic in most real-world protest scenarios. Uncertainty about the government's resolve or the protesters' capabilities can significantly alter the strategic dynamics.

Rating Explanation

This is a strong theoretical paper that offers valuable insights into the dynamics of protest and repression in authoritarian regimes. The model is well-constructed and logically sound, and its implications are relevant to understanding real-world political events. However, the lack of empirical testing and the simplifying assumptions of the model are notable limitations.

Good to know

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File Information

Original Title: Political and economic protests in authoritarian regimes
Uploaded: September 07, 2025 at 07:30 PM
Privacy: Public