Responsive Propaganda: The Sharp Shift in the Propaganda of Human Gene Editing in China

Does authoritarian propaganda change in response to public criticism? Do counterarguments compel regimes to shift their narratives? The literature on authoritarian propaganda focuses on how propaganda affects public opinion but not vice versa because scholars rarely expect public opinion to change propaganda. Through text analysis of the Chinese state media’s reporting on human germline gene editing, this study illustrates the mechanism of a case where authoritarian propaganda changed its own discourse and responded to public opinion. Responsive propaganda emerges when the benefits outweigh the costs of shifting discourse. Possible conditions for responsive propaganda include public opinion crises, opinion crises leading to risks of social unrest, and low costs of shifting positions. Responsive authoritarianism entails not only responsive policies but also responsive propaganda.