This research expands relative deprivation theory to the societal level. It argues that citizen polarization drives political unrest, not overall societal grievances.

Data & Methods: Analyzed twelve cross-national survey projects covering eighty-four democracies and semi-democracies from 1977-2010.

The findings reveal a clear pattern: polarized societies are significantly more prone to nonviolent protest. Countries with low average citizen dissatisfaction but high polarization experience the most protests, aligning perfectly with theoretical predictions about relative deprivation.

Key Implication: These results demonstrate how inequality perceptions shape political outcomes even when material conditions are improving.