Policy debates on strategies to end extremist violence frequently cite poverty as a root cause of support for the perpetrating
groups. There is little evidence to support this contention, particularly in the Pakistani case. Pakistan’s urban poor are more
exposed to the negative externalities of militant violence and may in fact be less supportive of the groups. To test these
hypotheses we conducted a 6,000-person, nationally representative survey of Pakistanis that measured affect toward four
militant organizations. By applying a novel measurement strategy, we mitigate the item nonresponse and social desirability
biases that plagued previous studies due to the sensitive nature of militancy. Contrary to expectations, poor Pakistanis
dislike militants more than middle-class citizens. This dislike is strongest among the urban poor, particularly those in violent
districts, suggesting that exposure to terrorist attacks reduces support for militants. Long-standing arguments tying support
for violent organizations to income may require substantial revision.
Author(s): Graeme Blair, C. Christine Fair, Neil Malhotra and Jacob N. Shapiro
Source: American Journal of Political Science , January 2013, Vol. 57, No. 1 (January
2013), pp. 30-48
Published by: Midwest Political Science Association
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/23496541
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