The Rise of Authoritarianism

The psychology behind the term authoritarianism.

Authoritarianism is a term often used to describe systems of governance or personality types where strict obedience to authority is emphasised, often at the expense of personal freedom and democratic principles. This article explores what authoritarianism is, the psychology behind it, and its impact on society. Notably, all the researchers agree on one thing: A rise in authoritarianism never ends well and often ends disastrously for everyone - those who support it the most strongly tend to find out that it was no more in their best interests than the minorities who are scapegoated. This will be explored further in the next article on social dominance personality among leaders and its relationship to the dark heart of authoritarianism.

The concept of authoritarianism gained significant attention after World War II when two social scientists, Theodor Adorno and Else Frenkel-Brunswik, sought to understand the horrors perpetrated by the Nazi regime. They proposed the idea of an "authoritarian personality," which was characterised by a tendency to be prejudiced and overly obedient to authority figures. This idea laid the groundwork for further studies into authoritarianism.

In the 1980s, psychologist Bob Altemeyer expanded on this idea with his research on what he called the "right-wing authoritarian" (RWA) personality. It’s important to note that "right-wing" in this context does not refer to a position on the political spectrum but rather to an attitude of seeing authority as proper and necessary - ‘right’ as in correct, that which is 'written' rather than being open to debate, criticism, or open to challenges of legitimacy. It is an attitude towards the use of power and it can exist on the political left or right in differing contexts, and it may be one indication of why the political left and right are resistant to clear definitions.

Altemeyer goes into depth explaining and defending his use of the term ‘right’, and his own position as a centrist, but he also provides generally robust measures which back up the theory. To measure authoritarianism, Altemeyer developed the Right-Wing Authoritarianism Scale (RWA Scale). This scale includes statements such as "Our country will be great if we honour the ways of our forefathers" and "The authorities should do what they think is best, even if we don’t agree." People indicate how much they agree or disagree with these statements, which places them somewhere on the authoritarianism spectrum.

According to Altemeyer, authoritarianism involves a relationship between leaders and followers. Followers tend to submit too much to their leaders, trust them excessively, and allow them considerable freedom to act as they wish, which often leads to undemocratic and harsh practices. Authoritarian followers, as defined by Altemeyer, exhibit three main characteristics:

Submission to Authority. They show a high level of submission to the authorities they see as legitimate. This means they trust these authorities and believe in following their rules without question. High RWAs believe in submitting to authority in almost all situations. For instance, they are more likely to support invasive anti-terrorism measures or tolerate illegal activities by the police if they believe these actions are sanctioned by authorities.

Aggression in the Name of Authority. They tend to be aggressive towards individuals or groups they believe are condemned by these authorities. This aggression is often justified by their belief that they are upholding law and order. They are more aggressive towards those they see as threats to social order or sanctioned by authorities. For example, they might support harsher punishments for criminals or display prejudice against marginalised groups.

Conventionalism. They adhere strictly to the social norms and traditions endorsed by their authorities. They believe everyone should conform to these norms, which often reflect traditional, conservative values. High RWAs value traditional social norms and may resist changes that promote diversity and inclusion. They often support patriarchal family structures and traditional gender roles.

Understanding authoritarianism is crucial because it helps explain why some people support strict and often undemocratic measures. It sheds light on the psychological traits that make individuals more likely to follow and enforce authoritarian rules, which can lead to significant societal impacts, including reduced personal freedoms and increased prejudice.

By recognizing these traits and their effects, we can better address the challenges posed by authoritarian attitudes in society and promote a more inclusive and democratic world. The next article will explain the relationship between authoritarian leadership and social dominance personality, what Altemeyer calls 'double highs'. When social dominators become authoritarian leaders what follows is often a serious breakdown in democracy and rise of internal political violence and suppression of civic society.