Replication Data for: Winning hearts and minds with economic sanctions? Evidence from a survey experiment in Venezuela

This is the replication dataset, do-file, and log of results for the article "Winning hearts and minds with economic sanctions? Evidence from a survey experiment in Venezuela". Abstract: Previous research contends that economic sanctions must benefit opposition groups relative to the incumbent regime in order to generate policy change. However, studies have found that sanctions often backfire and increase regime support. While this rally-around-the-flag effect is well known, we do not know how senders can prevent it. In this article, I use individual-level data from a targeted state to examine whether a sender’s framing of the sanctions may play a role in preventing the rally-around-the-flag effect. A survey experiment conducted among respondents in Venezuela demonstrates that the public attitude toward sanctions is shaped by the framing of the sanctions. Specifically, people adopt more favorable views when interpreting sanctions as targeted measures against regime members with the explicit goal of protecting fundamental human rights. The effects are evident among moderates, which is significant as they are otherwise the group most likely to rally behind the regime.

本数据集为论文《以经济制裁赢得民心？委内瑞拉一项调查实验的证据》的复现数据集、do-file与结果日志。摘要：过往研究指出，经济制裁唯有相较于现任政权更惠及反对派群体，方可推动政策变革。但既有研究发现，制裁往往适得其反，反而强化了民众对政权的支持。尽管这一团结护旗效应（rally-around-the-flag effect）已为学界熟知，但目前仍不清楚制裁发起方应如何规避该效应。本文采用受制裁对象国的个体层面数据，探究制裁发起方对制裁的叙事框架是否能够在规避团结护旗效应中发挥作用。针对委内瑞拉受访者开展的调查实验表明，民众对经济制裁的态度会受到制裁叙事框架的影响。具体而言，当民众将制裁理解为以保护基本人权为明确目标、针对政权核心成员的精准制裁措施时，会对制裁持更为积极的态度。该效应在温和派群体中表现尤为显著，而温和派本就是最易团结在政权周围的群体，因此这一发现具有重要的学术价值。