The Very Real Impact of Support for Hypothetical Violence

• In Event: Political Violence, Threats, and Political Behavior

Abstract

American support for hypothetical violence is disturbingly high, but the real-world impact of this political attitude has been debated. We propose that support for hypothetical violence influences candidate selection, such that individuals who are supportive of hypothetical violence are more likely to support candidates that engage in and encourage political violence against their political opponents. Utilizing both hypothetical and real candidates, we intend to demonstrate this through a series of observational and experimental analyses conducted in original surveys. If support for hypothetical violence does influence candidate preferences then that support has a direct path to influence American politics, even if most individuals who hold these attitudes never directly engage in violence themselves. If a substantial portion of Americans are not put off by or are even attracted to candidates engaging in or encouraging political violence against their political opponents, then candidate support for political violence is at risk of being normalized presenting a threat to democracy. Given the role of elite signaling on voters’ attitudes and behavior, a violence-encouraging candidate would likely increase support for violence among previously non-violent partisans. Candidates who had previously refrained from encouraging violence may also begin to emulate the successful candidate's pro-violence strategy. Thus, any successful pro-violence candidate is likely to increase both the demand for and supply of pro-violence candidates over time. We argue that for democracy to function properly, the citizenry must not only refrain from engaging in antidemocratic and violent behavior themselves but they must also see these traits in their political candidates as repugnant and as an uncrossable line. Support for hypothetical violence indicates the absence of this repugnance, which given its potential effects on American politics and democracy warrants further study.

Authors

• Kyle McWagner, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee

• William Cullen Kidd, University of California, Irvine