Beyond the Left-Right Spectrum: A Typological Analysis of Ideologues in China's Weibo Space. Issue 119 (3rd September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Huang, Ronggui; Gui, Yong; Sun, Xiaoyi
• Is Part Of: Journal of contemporary China. Volume 28:Issue 119(2019)
• Page Start: 831
• Page End: 847
• Publication Date: 2019-09-03
• Subjects: China -- Periodicals; China -- Politics and government -- 1976- -- Periodicals; Chine -- Périodiques; Chine -- Politique et gouvernement -- 1976- -- Périodiques; 306.0951
• DOI: 10.1080/10670564.2019.1580423
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1067-0564

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study aims to investigate Weibo users' political ideologies in China. It argues that a left-right spectrum cannot adequately depict the ideological landscape, and proposes a typological framework to guide the analysis of competing ideologies. Based on a sample of 3440 Weibo users, this article uses latent class model to identify sub-types of ideologues. It discerns five ideological groups, namely Maoists, regime defenders, full-fledged liberals, economic liberals, and political liberals, as well as one politically silent group. The results show that liberal leaning Weibo users are not a homogeneous group, and should not be holistically conceived as regime challengers in opposition to regime defenders. To a certain degree, economic liberals are more similar to regime defenders than Maoists, and this can be better understood from a typological perspective than a spectrum perspective. This article concludes with a discussion on the political implications of the findings.