How do authoritarian regimes sustain their popularity? A novel study in China led by MIT scholars shows that anticorruption punishments meted out by government authorities receive significant support among citizens — who believe such actions demonstrate both competence and morally righteous leadership. The findings help explain how authoritarian governments endure, not merely based on domination and fear, but as regimes generating positive public support over time. “What we find is that not only does the punishment of corrupt officials increase the perception among citizens that there is a capable and…
