Loyalty to a dictator is often assumed to guarantee ruling group cohesiveness.
➡️ Faction Competition
Chinese political elites under promotion pressure foster rivalry among peers despite outward loyalty.
📊 Data & Methods
Using records of 2000-2014 corruption investigations and industrial accidents in Chinese provincial leaders, we analyze media reporting patterns.
🔍 Key Findings
- Local media disproportionately report negative events related to co-faction rivals (more often than on other faction members)
- These reports target promotionally ambitious elites within the same faction structure
- Such negative coverage systematically reduces the promotion chances of reported cadres while boosting reporters' prospects
📝 Why It Matters
This study reveals how authoritarian systems maintain loyalty while structuring intense intra-group competition to manage power dynamics. The findings suggest that apparent cohesion in elite circles often masks deep rivalries essential for regime survival.
