Class Politics and the Authoritarian Personality

ABSTRACT The resurgence of authoritarianism worldwide has led to renewed interest in the Frankfurt School theory of the authoritarian personality. In this article, I clarify the role of that idea in a class-theoretical critique of fascism by showing how it supplements the Marxist analysis. I first outline the Marxist theory of fascism with reference particularly to the puzzles of fascist politics and ideology, before arguing that the authoritarian personality construct helps solve some of these. Then, I clarify the fit between the theory of the authoritarian personality and Marxist theory by explicating its origins in the research programme of the Frankfurt School. Finally, I propose that the authoritarian personality construct explains the nature of the elements in the fascist ideological “medley,” with reference to its key characteristics of rigid conventionalism, unquestioning obedience and authoritarian aggression.