Assessing performance from space : PM2.5, Pollution perception, and popular support in China

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Huhe, Narisong and Chen, Jie (2025) Assessing performance from space : PM2.5, Pollution perception, and popular support in China. Asian Survey, 65 (6). pp. 1-36. ISSN 0004-4687 (https://doi.org/10.1525/as.2025.2663626)

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Abstract

Citizens' assessment of government performance has long been regarded as a key determinant of their support for authoritarian regimes (i.e., "performance legitimacy"). However, authoritarian regimes can opt to cheat performance indicators by juking the stats (i.e., "information autocrats"). It is unclear how ordinary citizens assess government policy performance and then render their support to the regime in nondemocratic contexts. Little empirical research has explored this full mechanism. In this study, we conduct a mediation analysis to test the performance-based explanation of political support in China. Based on pollution data from satellite observations (i.e., PM2.5) and a nationwide survey in China, we explore how ordinary Chinese evaluate the severity of pollution and render their support to local and central authorities.

ORCID iDs

Huhe, Narisong ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0875-3029 and Chen, Jie;
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)