We provide a framework for analyzing collective action in contentious contexts such as protests or revolutions when individuals are uncertain about the relative payoffs of the status quo and revolution. We model the "calculus of protest" of individuals who must decide whether to submit to the...

Uncertainty in payoffs is a central feature of collective action in contentious contexts such as protests and revolutions. We integrate payoff uncertainty into a model of collective action. We model the “calculus of protest” of individuals who must decide whether to submit to the status quo...