On the Edge: Political Cults Right and Left by Dennis Tourish, Tim Wohlforth

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Synopsis

Although a commitment to political action by many people is a necessary feature of a normal democratic society, cults make unethical use of the major techniques of social and psychological influence (sometimes called thought reform), sidetracking political commitment into an environment dominated by a guru bent on self-promotion. Such groups are characterized by intense levels of destructive activity and extreme conformity based on a handful of basic ideas, and, since the central concern of all cults is to recruit other members and raise money, they prioritize this agenda in their dealings with others.

This is the first book to document the extent of political cults on both the right and the left and to explain their significance for mainstream political organizations. The authors begin by outlining the defining characteristics of cults in general, and in ten chapters, they analyze the extent to which a variety of well-known movements fall within the spectrum of what could be defined as cultic organizations such groups and individuals as Lyndon LaRouche, Fred Newman, Lenora Fulani (former co-chair of Pat Buchanan's presidential election campaign), Ted Grant, Marlene Dixon, and the right-wing Christian Identity movement, Posse Commitatus, Aryan Nation, militias, and the Freemen.

The emphasis is on exploring many groups' ideological underpinnings which predispose them to cultic practices, along with the organizational measures they employ to suppress dissent, achieve intense conformity, and extract extraordinary levels of commitment from their membership. In the process, the authors also discuss how political activists and organizations can guard against falling into the trap of cultism.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Dennis Tourish is Reader in Communication Management at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland. He has published and lectured widely on the issue of cults and has published articles in Cultic Studies Journal. He has also addressed the annual conference of the American Family Foundation, which pioneers education and research on cults in the Unites States. This is his third book.

Timothy Wohlforth is a journalist and writer. His most recent book is The Prophet's Children: Travels on the American Left (1994). He has written articles for the New Left Review, In These Times, and Against the Current, and he wrote the section on Trotskyism in the Encyclopedia of the Left. He is a member of the Democratic Socialist of America.

Booknews

Documenting the influence of political cults in both the right and left wings, Tourish (communication management, U. of Aberdeen) and Wohlforth, a journalist, begin by outlining the characteristics of cults and then go on to analyze the degree to which a variety of well- known movements adhere to the model. They discuss such individuals as Lyndon LaRouche, Fred Newman, Ted Grant, and Marlene Dixon, as well as groups like the Christian Identity movement, Posse Comitatus, Aryan nations, and militias. The emphasis is on the underpinnings of organizations predisposed to cultish practices and the measures they use to suppress dissent, achieve intense conformity, and extract extraordinary levels of commitment from their membership. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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