Natural Disaster and Democratic Legitimacy The Public Opinion Consequences of Chile’s 2010 Earthquake and Tsunami

Type Journal Article - Political Research Quarterly
Title Natural Disaster and Democratic Legitimacy The Public Opinion Consequences of Chile’s 2010 Earthquake and Tsunami
Author(s)
Volume 67
Issue 1
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2014
Page numbers 3-15
URL https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ryan_Carlin/publication/274969560_Natural_Disaster_and_Democrat​ic_Legitimacy_The_Public_Opinion_Consequences_of_Chile's_2010_Earthquake_and_Tsunami/links/559d3d830​8ae76bed0bb218b.pdf
Abstract
Can natural disasters undermine democratic legitimacy? This article maps a causal pathway from natural disaster
damage to shifts in opinion and behavioral tendencies in less established democracies. It theorizes citizens who suffer
damage in such contexts will tend toward lower evaluations of democratic institutions, lower support for democratic
values and practices, and stronger dispositions toward action. These expectations are tested with national survey data
collected following Chile’s 2010 earthquake and tsunami by analyzing intracountry differences in damage with matching
techniques and regression analyses. Results are consistent with expectations, with important implications for Chile
and other less established democracies.

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