Linking Conspiracy Beliefs and Violent Anti-Government Extremism: Mitigating the Threat with Procedurally Just Governance (Terrorism and Political Violence)

Alongside a decline in institutional trust and an increase in conspiracy-driven violence, there has been a notable increase in conspiracy theories, political division, and anti-government sentiment in recent years. Conspiracy theories’ psychological underpinnings are widely known, but little is known about how they relate to violent extremism. Using data from an Australian survey (N = 1595), the current study investigates whether conspiracy theory supporters are more likely to advocate or participate in anti-government violence as indicated by self-reported acts, violent intents, and support for insurrection. The findings show that anger and views of the legitimacy of the government act as mediators in the positive relationship between conspiracy theories and violence. Crucially, procedural fairness lessens these middlemen between believers and unbelievers. The results highlight how procedurally just governance is necessary to combat the forces that generate conspiracy-fueled extremism.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09546553.2025.2536333

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