How Aligning with Authoritarian Government Benefits Minority Religions?

• In Event: Religion and the Political Incorporation of Minority Groups

Abstract

How does government alignment affect majority group evaluations of minority religious figures? Prior research indicates that religious individuals generally prefer their faith leaders to be apolitical, and the merging of politics and religion tends to diminish trust in religious elites and decrease personal religiosity. However, it remains unclear how individuals' perceptions may vary when evaluating religious figures from faiths different from their own, particularly in the context of members of a religious majority assessing elites from minority religions. I argue that that majority groups often view minority religions with skepticism, especially regarding their political loyalty and potential to disrupt social order. By aligning with an authoritarian government, minority religious figures might send a signal of compliance and adaptability to the existing social norms. This alignment not only potentially improves the perceived legitimacy of the minority religion but also makes it more acceptable for members of the majority group to affiliate with them. The hypothesis is empirically tested through an online conjoint experiment conducted in China, where participants assess hypothetical religious figures based on their political alignment with the authoritarian government. The study finds that non-religious respondents show a preference for attending events hosted by religious figures who hold symbolic governmental positions and endorse pro-government propaganda, perceiving them as more moral and authoritative in their religious messaging. This tendency is notably absent when religious respondents evaluate figures from their own faith. The paper's findings provide new insights into the relationship between the state and religion in authoritarian regimes.

Author

• Ling "Kenny" Miao, University of Texas at Austin