A Faustian pact? Political marketing and the authoritarian personality

The rise in racial tension in northern cities in England and subsequent election of British National Party candidates to office has drawn attention to the resurgence of what Adorno et al. (1950) described as the ‘authoritarian personality’. Their findings uncovered characteristics including conformity to the political system, and particularly to a strong leader who could provide guidance and security. This qualitative research identified that these factors were still in evidence among a significant proportion of the sample. This paper explores how these feelings develop; authoritarian characteristics can emerge if the respondents feel particularly threatened by an issue. It is evident that many politicians court this group but they need to be wary of the implications of this strategy.