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Persuasive Propaganda during the 2015 Argentine Ballotage

Author

Listed:
  • Rafael Di Tella
  • Sebastian Galiani
  • Ernesto Schargrodsky
Abstract
We study a propaganda campaign sponsored by the government against the main political challenger in the days preceding the 2015 Argentine runoff presidential election. Subjects in the treatment group watched an “ad” initially aired during soccer transmissions that was part of this campaign and were then asked about their political views. Relative to subjects in the control group, their declared preference for the challenger drops by 6.5 percentage points. We find no effects of the three types of defenses employed by the challenger (a positive message unrelated to the “ad”, an answer to the accusations in the “ad”, and a counter-attack). The propaganda effect is driven by women.

Suggested Citation

  • Rafael Di Tella & Sebastian Galiani & Ernesto Schargrodsky, 2019. "Persuasive Propaganda during the 2015 Argentine Ballotage," NBER Working Papers 26321, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:26321
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    2. Liuyang Yao & Qian Zhang & Kin Keung Lai & Xianyu Cao, 2020. "Explaining Local Residents’ Attitudes toward Shale Gas Exploitation: The Mediating Roles of Risk and Benefit Perceptions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-13, October.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • P48 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - Legal Institutions; Property Rights; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Regional Studies

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