Migrant money and political unrest: remittances and support for protest in Latin America and the Caribbean

Abstract

How does receiving remittances from abroad influence support for protest participation in origin democracies? Drawing on survey data from Latin America and the Caribbean, a region where social discontent quickly escalates and takes disruptive forms, it is found that remittance recipients do not vary from non‐recipients in their support for peaceful and legal modes of protest. However, compared to non‐recipients, those receiving remittances are more approving of citizens collectively acting outside of formal mechanisms or institutions, thus justifying unlawful and disruptive protest behaviour. Statistical analysis additionally reveals that support for violent protests among recipients is linked to their dissatisfaction with political parties and politicians, especially when these actors rely on patronage and clientelist exchanges to sway voter turnout. The article adds to our understanding of how migrants and the resources they send back home influence the character of political participation in developing democracies.