Chinese citizens who rarely voice open criticism of their government reveal stronger negative views when they can answer questions anonymously, according to a new study published in The China Quarterly .
The study by researchers at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences shows an enormous drop in citizen support for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and government policies when citizens are surveyed using a method that hides their identities and makes them feel more anonymous than a typical survey.
Why it matters: The study authors — Erin Baggott Carter and Brett Carter , both assistant professors of international relations, and doctoral candidate Stephen Schick — believe documenting citizens’ true opinions on these matters is key to understanding the depth and nature of support for the CCP and its government policies.
The big picture: Traditional surveys conducted in China, which directly question respondents, overstate Chinese citizens’ support for the CCP by up to 28.5 percentage points, according to the study.
Zoom in: When the researchers looked at regime support across several demographics, the list experiments revealed that ethnic Han respondents, educated respondents, and CCP members were more supportive.
Go deeper: A surprising finding showed that when asked directly, respondents who are members of China’s predominant and favored ethnic group, the Han, are less inclined to express support for Xi compared to minority respondents.
What they’re saying: “Given recent claims that autocratic governments often enjoy genuine support, it is especially important to get accurate information about what citizens in countries like China feel about their governments,” said Baggott Carter.
The upshot: The study highlights the need for refined survey methods in politically sensitive areas.
The China Quarterly
Survey
People
Do Chinese Citizens Conceal Opposition to the CCP in Surveys? Evidence from Two Experiments
10-Jan-2024