Interesting study from 2013. The connection between these two states of affairs seems very plausible.
Abstract
According to a “parasite stress” hypothesis, authoritarian governments are more likely to emerge in regions characterized by a high prevalence of disease-causing pathogens. Recent cross-national evidence is consistent with this hypothesis, but there are inferential limitations associated with that evidence. We report two studies that address some of these limitations, and provide further tests of the hypothesis. Study 1 revealed that parasite prevalence strongly predicted cross-national differences on measures assessing individuals’ authoritarian personalities, and this effect statistically mediated the relationship between parasite prevalence and authoritarian governance. The mediation result is inconsistent with an alternative explanation for previous findings. To address further limitations associated with cross-national comparisons, Study 2 tested the parasite stress hypothesis on a sample of traditional small-scale societies (the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample). Results revealed that parasite prevalence predicted measures of authoritarian governance, and did so even when statistically controlling for other threats to human welfare. (One additional threat—famine—also uniquely predicted authoritarianism.) Together, these results further substantiate the parasite stress hypothesis of authoritarianism, and suggest that societal differences in authoritarian governance result, in part, from cultural differences in individuals’ authoritarian personalities.
This article, which I think seems quite reasonable in itself, picks up on some underlying issues
The Politics of Fear: How Authoritarian Can We Be When We Are in Fear?
May 21, 2020
Helio Flanagan Veiga
" Our fears do not entitle us to dictate overall behaviors."
which I think make sense, within reason.
Interestingly, the study noted in passing that famine is also a variable that predicts authoritarianism. So both variables could easily be exploited to move an authoritarian agenda along. Equally obviously, the potential is created for these ‘enhancers’ to be brought about deliberately for this purpose.You can see how this might go. Let’s create or talk up a virus and ban dissent. Let’s ban Russian grain! Let’s all the western countries throw massive amounts of money and weapons at Ukraine in the name of protecting their people. Lets wreck our economies, then everyone will need the government to feed and protect them.
Etc etc.
