Novel bipartisan threats are the sole driver of conspiracy talk surges

Evidence

The only exception is when domestic coalitions are realigning to face novel threats. Without an ideological brake on half the country, there can be surges in the overall level of conspiracy talk. — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 584

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Elite rhetoric substantially raises public conspiracy talk — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 679; Polarization does not statistically predict conspiracy talk — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 667; Out-of-power groups always drive conspiracy talk as winners disengage — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 590 (+9 more)

Broader Connections

• Out-of-power domestic groups generate most conspiratorial talk #contradicts (0.78) — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 699
• Fear of primaries drives officials’ conspiracist equivocation #corroborates (0.75)
• Conspiratorial accusations against a party rise the longer it holds power #contradicts (0.75) — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 734
• Conspiracy surges track rigid class structure and felt disenfranchisement #contradicts (0.74) — Anna Merlan, Republic of Lies, 33
• Conspiracy beliefs stay stable while conspiracy talk shifts with power #complicates (0.72) — Joseph E. Uscinski and Joseph M. Parent, American Conspiracy Theories, 749
• Elected partisans are the effective channel for speaking truth to conspiracy. #complicates (0.72)
• Threat narratives flourished in official channels despite being wholly unfounded #expands (0.72) — John Higham, Strangers in the Land, 1224
• Totalitarianism emerges when a conspiracy sector escapes party control #qualifies (0.72) — Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism, 874
• Conspiracy belief rates may be stable while their reach has exploded #complicates (0.72) — Sander van der Linden, Foolproof, 227