Ideas

The making of an ‘authoritarian personality’

Jun 16, 2025
Join Peter E. Gordon, a Harvard scholar, along with Molly Worthen and Matthew McWilliams, as they dissect the revival of The Authoritarian Personality. They explore how historical contexts shape today's political climates, dissecting traits of those drawn to authoritarianism. Jonathan Weiler adds insights on identity struggles amid rising populism. The conversation delves into the emotional undercurrents of political beliefs, societal polarization during elections, and the lasting impact of historical studies on modern democratic challenges.
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INSIGHT

Origins of Authoritarian Study

  • After WWII, scholars fled Nazi persecution to understand why many were drawn to dictatorships.
  • They studied the psychological traits making individuals susceptible to fascist propaganda.
ANECDOTE

Exiles in Hollywood Community

  • Theodore Adorno and colleagues, émigrés in LA, mingled in a rich European intellectual exile community.
  • They combined academic work with Hollywood social life while haunted by Nazi horrors.
INSIGHT

F-scale Measures Authoritarian Traits

  • The "F-scale" measured traits like authoritarian submission, conventionalism, and aggression.
  • It revealed how psychological biases toward rigid order make some more vulnerable to fascist ideology.
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