Who's drawn to fascism? Postwar study of authoritarianism makes a comeback - 2022-04-04

Who's drawn to fascism? Postwar study of authoritarianism makes a comeback April 4, 2022, Kristin Nelson, CBC Radio

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By most accounts, 2021 was a terrible year for democracy, from the attack on the U.S. Capitol to the rolling back of civil liberties in India. Liberal democracies are being challenged — from within and without — and many expect authoritarian rule to continue to metastasize in 2022.

Some scholars believe that a book published over 70 years ago — The Authoritarian Personality — could help researchers, and many of us today, grapple with troubling political trends in our own era.

"We see so many variations of right-wing populism, of authoritarianism, of neo-fascism around the globe that a book like this has gained, unfortunately, new relevance," said Peter E. Gordon, professor of history at Harvard University, who wrote the introduction to a new edition of The Authoritarian Personality published on its 70th anniversary.

Wikipedia cite:

{{cite news | first = Kristin | last = Nelson | title = Who's drawn to fascism? Postwar study of authoritarianism makes a comeback | url = https://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/who-s-drawn-to-fascism-postwar-study-of-authoritarianism-makes-a-comeback-1.6403074 | work = CBC Radio | date = April 4, 2022 | accessdate = May 5, 2022 }}