The Mass Psychology of Fascism

In this classic study, Reich provides insight into the phenomenon of fascism, which continues to ravage the international community in ways great and small, far and near.

Drawing on his medical experiences with men and women of various classes, races, nations, and religious beliefs, Reich refutes the still generally held notion that fascism is a specific characteristic of certain nationalities or a political party ideology that is imposed on innocent people by means of force or political manneuvers. As Reich notes, "Fascism is only the organized political expression of the structure of the average man's character. It is the basic emotional attitude of the supressed man of our authoritarian machine civilization and its mechanistic-mystical conception of life."

Responsibility for the elimination of fascism thus resuts with the masses of average people who might otherwise support and champion it.