Populism and Support for Political Violence in the United States: Assessing the Role of Grievances, Distrust of Political Institutions, Social Change Threat, and Political Illiberalism

• Published date: 01 March 2024
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/10659129231198248
• Author: James A. Piazza
• Date: 01 March 2024
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Political Research Quarterly

2024, Vol. 77(1) 152–166

© The Author(s) 2023

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DOI: 10.1177/10659129231198248

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Populism and Support for Political Violence

in the United States: Assessing the Role of

Grievances, Distrust of Political

Institutions, Social Change Threat, and

Political Illiberalism

James A. Piazza

1



Abstract

As populist parties and politicians have grown in prominence in democracies, scholars have turned their attention to the

causes, and consequences, of populist attitudes among citizens. Some preliminary research indicates that individuals with

populist attitudes are more likely to express support or tolerance for the use of violence to achieve political objectives. In

this study, I examine this relationship further by investigating factors that mediate the effect of populism on endorsement

of political violence. Using an original survey of more than 1300 subjects in the United States, I evaluate four elements that

theoretically mediate the relationship between populism and support for political violence: economic grievances; distrust

of political institutions; perception that social and demographic changes in the United States are threatening; and

preferences for politically illiberal or nondemocratic rule. I f‌ind that the effect of populism on suppo rt for political

violence is mediated through fear of social/demographic change and preference for illiberal rule but not through

economic grievances or distrust of political institutions. Taken together, over 50% of the effect of populism on support

for political violence is mediated through heightened anxiety about social and demographic changes in the U.S. and

illiberal attitudes.

Keywords

populism, political violence, grievances, distrust of political institutions, social change threat, political illiberalism

Are individuals who hold populist political attitudes more

likely to endorse or tolerate the use of violence to achieve

political goals? If they are, what might explain the con-

nection between populism and support for political vio-

lence? These questions are inspired by a handful of recent

studies linking populism and populist sentiments to en-

dorsement of political violence. Research by Armaly and

Enders (2022) and Krekό(2021) found that individuals

with populist attitudes or who support populist political

parties are more likely to regard the use of political vi-

olence to be acceptable. In a public opinion study by

Piazza (2022), supporters of former President Donald

Trump—a politician frequently identif‌ied as a right-wing

populist (see, e.g., Inglehart and Norris 2017)—were

found to be more likely to express support for the use of

political violence. Some research also suggests that

populist individuals, specif‌ically those who espouse na-

tionalist populist sentiments associated with the “America

First”ideology, are more likely to have engaged in violent

behavior (Levi, Sendroiu, and Hagan 2020). All these

studies f‌ind a link between populism and political vio-

lence. But they do not provide a comprehensive expla-

nation for the relationship between populist attitudes and

support for political violence.

In this study, I explore in more depth the relationship

between populist political sentiment and support for

political violence, def‌ined as endorsement or acceptance

of the use of violence to achieve one’s political goals,

among Americans. Specif‌ically, I consider four factors

1

The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA

Corresponding Author:

James A. Piazza, Department of Political Science, The Pennsylvania State

University, Pond Laboratory, University Park, PA 16802 USA.

Email: jap45@psu.edu