Education, Indoctrination, and Mass Mobilization in Autocracies

This article examines how regime efforts at educational indoctrination affect mass mobilization in autocracies. The literature tends to emphasize education’s democratizing potential. However, mass schooling in autocracies also facilitates pro-government propaganda, which may undermine the democratic character of mass mobilization in contexts where the regime uses education for indoctrination. This article builds on previous experimental findings to evaluate the correlation between regime indoctrination efforts through schooling and mass mobilization using expert assessments and observational data. Analyzing autocratic spells from 1950 to 2019, we find that educational indoctrination correlates with reduced mass mobilization. Specifically, autocracies investing in indoctrination show weaker pro-democracy movements and are less likely to experience anti-system uprisings. Conversely, educational indoctrination correlates with mobilization for autocracy, indicating it helps solidify authoritarian regimes against democratic pressures and promotes regime-compatible demonstrations.