This article examines propaganda-based threats of repression used by autocratic regimes, specifically China.
Context: The study utilizes data from the Chinese Workers' Daily newspaper covering domestic issues between 2009 and 2016.
Findings: It reveals that these threats are strategically employed around anniversaries related to ethnic separatist movements in Tibet and Xinjiang. Bullet point key findings:
- Decrease protest rates substantively (by a meaningful margin)
- Used sparingly, preserving their effectiveness
Method: Instrumental variables approach used.
Preserving all nuances from the original abstract.
