Determinants of Revolt: Evidence from Survey and Laboratory Data

Klaus Abbink and Silvia Pezzini

No 2005-01, Discussion Papers from The Centre for Decision Research and Experimental Economics, School of Economics, University of Nottingham

Abstract: This paper examines determinants of revolutionary behaviour. We study the role of freedom of communication, repression of opposition and the government’s selfishness. Combining econometric analysis of survey data with a laboratory experiment, we analyse how these factors affect preferences for revolt and revolutionary action. We introduce an experimental game capturing essential features of a dictatorship. The results show that the feeling that the government operates selfishly increases both revolutionary preferences and actions. Political repression and lack of communication freedom increase revolutionary attitudes but decrease actual opposition, consistent with the collective action problem faced by opposition to a dictatorship.

Keywords: Conflict; revolutions; experimental economics; surveys (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C23 C92 D74 H11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2005-02
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:not:notcdx:2005-01

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