The Rise of Pro-Regime Intellectuals and Their Mass Persuasion Strategies on China’s Internet

Abstract

ABSTRACT Mass persuasion is crucial to politics, and sophisticated leaders utilize political persuasion to influence citizens’ attitudes and emotions, alter their behaviors, and solicit regime support. In recent decades, a variety of actors have engaged in mass persuasion on China’s internet. Using online ethnography and archival research, this study examines a newly emerged but less studied group—pro-regime intellectuals and their online mass persuasion strategies. First, we find that pro-regime intellectuals act as outspoken critics of the West to promote China-centric theories by utilizing their academic knowledge and reasoning. Meanwhile, given their close government connections, they stand as intermediaries between the state and society to channel public discontent and articulate public policy. Furthermore, they proactively adapt to cyberculture by interacting and cultivating close bonds with netizens, as well as by collaborating with platforms to attract public attention. By deciphering this set of mass persuasion strategies, this article contributes to our understanding of how pro-regime intellectuals’ digital mass persuasion helps maintain the state’s discursive hegemony, which facilitates regime resilience in the era of social media.