Not All Threats Mobilize: Ideological Centrality and the Dynamics of Antidemocratic Engagement

Does ideological radicalization, by intensifying political polarization, encourage engagement in antidemocratic acts? To address this question, we conducted a survey experiment presenting hypothetical scenarios in which a Workers’ Party (PT) government adopts more radical positions in three areas: economic policy, affirmative action, and sexual diversity. Results show that effects are not homogeneous but vary according to the centrality of each issue within Bolsonaro voters’ belief systems. Topics related to identity and morality show little responsiveness to further radicalization. In contrast, radicalization in redistributive policy increases the likelihood of supporting antidemocratic protest. This finding suggests that while the moral and identity dimensions are consolidated, the economic dimension remains comparatively unstructured and thus more responsive to contextual influence.