The Power of Whispers: A Theory of Rumor, Communication and Revolution

Yang Lu, Wing Suen and Heng Chen
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Yang Lu: Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Heng Chen: University of Hong Kong

No 411, 2013 Meeting Papers from Society for Economic Dynamics

Abstract: We study the role rumors play in revolutions using a global game model. Agents with diverse private information rationally evaluate the informativeness of rumors about the regime strength. Without communication among agents, wild rumors are discounted and agents are generally less responsive to rumors than to trustworthy news. When agents can exchange views on the informativeness of rumors, a rumor against the regime would coordinate a larger mass of attackers than that without communication. The effect of communication can be so large that rumors can have a greater impact on mobilization than does fully trustworthy information.

Date: 2013
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cta and nep-mic
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Journal Article: THE POWER OF WHISPERS: A THEORY OF RUMOR, COMMUNICATION, AND REVOLUTION* (2016)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:red:sed013:411

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