Mathematical model of repressive response to collective action and protest waves

Area of Science:

• Political Science
• Sociology
• Mathematical Modeling

Background:

• Societal opposition can lead to collective action and protest.
• State repression is a common response to quell such actions.
• Understanding the dynamics of state-society interaction is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the dynamic interaction between state repression and collective action.
• To model the impact of repressive responses on protest movements.
• To explore the conditions leading to regime persistence, oscillation, or destabilization.

Main Methods:

• Development of a mathematical model using differential equations.
• Analysis of the model to understand the interplay between state repression and collective action.
• Simulation of various scenarios to observe regime dynamics.

Main Results:

• Repressive regimes can exhibit sustained persistence, oscillatory patterns, or destabilization.
• The intensity and nature of repression significantly influence the outcome.
• Modeling provides insights into the emergence of protest cycles.

Conclusions:

• Mathematical modeling offers a valuable framework for studying state-society dynamics.
• Understanding these dynamics can explain historical patterns of protest and regime change.
• The model can be used to explore the effects of different policy interventions.