The Mass Psychology of Fascism Paperback – November 1, 1980

Red Orchestra: The Story of the Berlin Underground and the Circle of Friends Who Resisted Hitler This section contains a number of good summaries of the essential insights and concepts that make Mass Psychology of Fascism, I think, a brilliant book. Here, in one place, is a narrative linking global terrorism with harsh authoritarian childhood training. While Reich focused upon the authoritarian sex repressive attitudes of conservative Christian German family structure of the 1920s and 30s, the same functionality can be seen in the authoritarian control of fanatic Islamic childhood programming that results in attacks on women who seek education or attempt sexual freedom. As the twig is bent so grows the tree, and when the tree is part of a bent forest . . .Ann Nelson has new book, Red Orchestra that describes the Nazi takeover in Germany and throws an interesting side light on Reich's psychoanalytic description of the readiness of the German masses to install and follow a Fuhrer. Liberal minded artists, writers and performers in Berlin watched with horror as the Hitler movement captured the culture. Soon it was no longer safe to deny or oppose the dominant Nazi party program.That is the background to Reich's Mass Psychology. This is a theoretical treatise born in a time of ultimate horror. Reich describes brown shirted thugs marching a young woman through the streets for public humiliation. Her head was shorn of its blond tresses and she was made to wear a sign around her neck saying "I offered myself to a Jew." The melded themes of racial purity, patriarchal sex repression and mystical religion that drove German youth into a frenzy, formed into fascism and produced the mechanized killing machine of Nazi Germany. This sickness came from the conservative right and was patently apparent in the political propaganda in the years leading up to the actual Nazi seizure of Parliament.There is no question that in many places in the world, unhappy and impoverished peoples are ready to again embrace authoritarian leaders summoning them to defend national honor, racial and sexual purity and mystical gods. The toxic condition of the masses is a prelude to potential global conflict, and accurate insight into its mass psychology never more relevant.

This is a significant book in context of its time in history, which was, namely, the WWII years directly and then immediately afterwards. It contains important detail about how seemingly totally different political regimes all viewed the work as dangerous. Which fact itself makes this an important work for modern-day people to read. Great book to have.

A fascinating early study of the Nazi period in terms of causes and consequences. The complicating factor is that Reich presents only anecdotal evidence to back up his major conclusions, especially his overall correlation between sexual repression and fascism. If that were the case, why didn't other countries - all countries - succumb to fascism? Otherwise, his point that the authoritarian structure of the family and religion contribute mightily to fascism seems incontrovertible.

For husband

The outstanding work of social and psychological interpretation in the 20th century.

It's very hard to "LIKE" the quintessential treatise on the current state of our human condition after its visionary author and innovator was incarcerated and died in federal prison during the McCarthy era ......courtesy of #45's mentor

Suggests sexual repression is one of the major roots of fascism. Might have a point. When was the last time the polynesians rallied en-mass hell-bent to take over the world? Makes interesting points about sexually based mass hysteria. Does anybody still remember the McMartin pre-school case?

More important than ever

The analysis and the approach are still far ahead of our mainstream contemporary social and political thought, though it was written 70 years ago. Reich starts from Marxian sociology and Freud psychoanalysis to come to a new instrument (sex economy) to explain the very root of fascism in our societies. I read the book in the hope to better understand current international landscape, included the Isis outbreaks, and I found a fresh and thorough point of view and truly stimulating explanatory scheme.