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The middle class and the modalities of political protest: evidence from the Arab world.

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Title: The middle class and the modalities of political protest: evidence from the Arab world.
Authors: Desai, Raj M. (AUTHOR), Olofsgård, Anders (AUTHOR), Yousef, Tarik M. (AUTHOR)
Source: Social Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell). Jul2023, Vol. 104 Issue 4, p684-701. 18p. 3 Charts, 3 Graphs.
Subjects: Violence, Public demonstrations, Protest movements, Political systems, Middle class, Political violence, Arab Spring Uprisings, 2010-2012
Geographic Terms: Middle East, North Africa
Abstract: Objective: The middle class has historically played a decisive role in mass movements and rebellions against the status quo, including in both peaceful and violent protests that spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa following the events of the Arab Spring. Yet, we know little about why the middle class tends to be over‐represented in protest movements, or why that protest takes nonviolent versus violent forms. Methods: We develop a model in which protest constitutes a "costly" signal of discontent, where violent actions are more costly than peaceful demonstrations and where the cost of action increases with individual income. Under such assumptions, the upper‐middle class will engage in nonviolent protest, the lower middle class will support violence against the government, while the poorest and richest will abstain from opposition activities. Results: Survey data from the World Values Survey and the Gallup World Poll across 20 Arab countries supports these hypotheses. Using both parametric and semi‐parametric analyses, we find that participation in nonviolent protests and general strikes rises from the first (lowest) and peaks at the fourth income quintile, then declines thereafter. Meanwhile, support for political violence rises sharply between the first and second quintiles, falling for individuals in the upper quintiles. Our findings are robust to broader measures of wealth and status, as well as to corrections for regime type, levels of regime support, and joint determination of anti‐regime behaviors. Conclusions: These findings shed light on why certain socioeconomic groups engage in anti‐governmental behaviors, while others do not, and suggest that income subgroups within the middle class may choose different modalities of protest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Social Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: The middle class and the modalities of political protest: evidence from the Arab world.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Desai%2C+Raj+M%2E%22">Desai, Raj M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Olofsgård%2C+Anders%22">Olofsgård, Anders</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yousef%2C+Tarik+M%2E%22">Yousef, Tarik M.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Social+Science+Quarterly+%28Wiley-Blackwell%29%22">Social Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell)</searchLink>. Jul2023, Vol. 104 Issue 4, p684-701. 18p. 3 Charts, 3 Graphs.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Violence%22">Violence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+demonstrations%22">Public demonstrations</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Protest+movements%22">Protest movements</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+systems%22">Political systems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+class%22">Middle class</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Political+violence%22">Political violence</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Arab+Spring+Uprisings%2C+2010-2012%22">Arab Spring Uprisings, 2010-2012</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Middle+East%22">Middle East</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22North+Africa%22">North Africa</searchLink>
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  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Objective: The middle class has historically played a decisive role in mass movements and rebellions against the status quo, including in both peaceful and violent protests that spread throughout the Middle East and North Africa following the events of the Arab Spring. Yet, we know little about why the middle class tends to be over‐represented in protest movements, or why that protest takes nonviolent versus violent forms. Methods: We develop a model in which protest constitutes a "costly" signal of discontent, where violent actions are more costly than peaceful demonstrations and where the cost of action increases with individual income. Under such assumptions, the upper‐middle class will engage in nonviolent protest, the lower middle class will support violence against the government, while the poorest and richest will abstain from opposition activities. Results: Survey data from the World Values Survey and the Gallup World Poll across 20 Arab countries supports these hypotheses. Using both parametric and semi‐parametric analyses, we find that participation in nonviolent protests and general strikes rises from the first (lowest) and peaks at the fourth income quintile, then declines thereafter. Meanwhile, support for political violence rises sharply between the first and second quintiles, falling for individuals in the upper quintiles. Our findings are robust to broader measures of wealth and status, as well as to corrections for regime type, levels of regime support, and joint determination of anti‐regime behaviors. Conclusions: These findings shed light on why certain socioeconomic groups engage in anti‐governmental behaviors, while others do not, and suggest that income subgroups within the middle class may choose different modalities of protest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Social Science Quarterly (Wiley-Blackwell) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: Public demonstrations
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      – SubjectFull: Middle class
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      – SubjectFull: Arab Spring Uprisings, 2010-2012
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      – SubjectFull: Middle East
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      – SubjectFull: North Africa
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      – TitleFull: The middle class and the modalities of political protest: evidence from the Arab world.
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              M: 07
              Text: Jul2023
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