Censorship as Reward: Evidence from Pop Culture Censorship in Chile

Abstract

Censorship has traditionally been understood as a way for dictators to silence opposition. By contrast, this article develops and tests the theory that certain forms of censorship - in particular, prohibitions on popular culture - serve not only to limit political information but also to reward dictators' supporters. Using text analysis of all 8,000 films reviewed for distribution during Chile's dictatorship, I demonstrate that rather than focusing only on sensitive political topics, censors banned movies containing content considered immoral. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative evidence, I show that these patterns cannot be explained by masked political content, distributor self-censorship, or censor preferences. Instead, they reflect the regime's use of censorship as a reward for supporters, particularly conservative Catholic groups. My findings suggest that even repressive measures can be used in part to maintain support for authoritarian regimes.