Violence and Bias: The Political Legacy of Anti-Chinese Violence in Indonesia

Studies have discussed long-term effects of state-led violence on victims’ political attitudes and behaviors, but less is known about its impacts on those who sided with the perpetrators. We develop a theory of authoritarian indoctrination and cognitive dissonance that explains variation in outgroup intolerance among the majority group, focusing on the ethnic violence against Indonesia’s ethnic Chinese minority. Drawing upon unique survey data, we find that proximity to anti-Chinese violence in 1996–1999 correlates with elevated outgroup animosity today, particularly among individuals who grew up during the autocratic era. We further demonstrate that such bias extends to political behavior, leading to support for right-wing politicians instigating outgroup prejudice. Findings highlight historical legacies of authoritarian-led ethnic violence as a source of political intolerance.