Who protests? An exploration of the class dimensions of anticorruption mobilization

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Biswas, Bidisha; Vijaya, Ramya M.
• 署名单位: Western Washington University; Stockton University
• 刊物名称: GOVERNANCE-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF POLICY ADMINISTRATION AND INSTITUTIONS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0952-1895
• DOI: 10.1111/gove.12395
• 发表日期: 2019
• 关键词: middle classes; CORRUPTION; education

摘要

This article examines the role of economic class in mobilizing against corruption. Across several countries, recent anticorruption movements have been attributed to the growing urban middle class. Yet, existing studies have not examined how citizens view their own agency and how their views may be affected by their class position. We use Transparency International's Global Corruption Barometer survey and a case study of India to critically examine the class dimensions of anticorruption mobilization. We find that citizens in middle-income countries are most concerned with corruption. At the same time, those who identify as middle class are only slightly more likely than low-income individuals to indicate a willingness to mobilize. In contrast, people who identify as high income are much less willing to engage with the issue. Our findings suggest that successful and sustained mobilization against corruption might require a coalition of middle-and lower-income groups.