The new conspiracism is uniquely and asymmetrically a right-wing phenomenon.

Evidence

Distinguishing warranted from unwarranted conspiracist claims is further complicated by the way conspiracism aligns with partisan identity. Democrats are more likely to say that Trump colluded with Russia to cripple Hillary Clinton’s campaign. Republicans are more likely to say that the media are manufacturing fake news to bring down the president. We find ourselves navigating a political world buffeted by warring conspiracist claims. — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying, 36 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

Even where classic conspiracy theories abound, there is little evidence of the kind of bare assertion and fabulist concoction that characterize the new conspiracism. But there is reason to think this will change. The developments we describe in the United States over the last decade are likely to come to the democracies of Europe, to India, and elsewhere. New communications technologies that eliminate the traditional gatekeeping functions of the media create an opening. — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying, 370 (#builds-on, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: New conspiracism is currently US-specific but likely to spread globally. — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying: The New…, 370; Hofstadter’s ‘paranoid style’ was not a clinical diagnosis of individuals.; QAnon frames Trump as sole savior fighting a pedophile deep state — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying: The New…, 302 (+5 more)

Related

• Conspiracist claims now align symmetrically with partisan identity on both sides (similarity 0.87)
• Partisan identity skews which conspiracist claims people credit (similarity 0.86)
• New conspiracism defies the out-of-power symmetry expectation (similarity 0.85)
• New conspiracism differs from classic conspiracy theory in kind (similarity 0.84)
• New conspiracism is currently US-specific but likely to spread globally. (similarity 0.84)
• Conspiracism ultimately destroys its own partisan allies as well as its targets (similarity 0.82)
• The new conspiracism will outlast Trump’s presidency (similarity 0.81)
• New conspiracism lacks ideology and political theory, producing only disorientation (similarity 0.80)
• Political conspiracism acts independently once entrenched, not as an epiphenomenon (similarity 0.80)
• New and classic conspiracism share urgency but differ fundamentally. (similarity 0.80)
• New conspiracism will likely spread beyond the United States (similarity 0.80)
• New conspiracism dissolves shared perceptions of political reality (similarity 0.79)
• Elected partisans are the effective channel for speaking truth to conspiracy. (similarity 0.79)
• Conspiracism causes a deeper rift than partisan polarization (similarity 0.79)
• New conspiracists are self-styled cognoscenti, not the intuitive people of populism. (similarity 0.78)

Broader Connections

• Conspiracism exerts independent political force once it takes hold. #expands (0.78)
• Partisan identity skews which conspiracist claims people credit #qualifies (0.75) — Russell Muirhead and Nancy L. Rosenblum, A Lot of People Are Saying, 36