Collective narcissism as a framework for understanding populism

Abstract

Group narcissism is a phenomenon of the greatest political significance. Erich Fromm (1980; p. 51) Inasmuch as the group as a whole requires group narcissism for its survival, it will further narcissistic attitudes and confer upon them the qualification of being particularly virtuous. Erich Fromm (1964; p. 80) The full maturity of man is achieved by his complete emergence from narcissism both individual and group narcissism. Erich Fromm (1964; p. 90) The present wave of populism has reorganized the political map of the world. Populist parties have become significant political players in many Western democracies (Brubaker, 2017). The central feature of populism is its anti-elitism that contrasts the "democratic will of the people" with the self-interested will of "elites." Idolizing "the will of the people," populism undermines the very idea of pluralistic democracy, the rule of law, equality, and respect toward rights of all social groups (Mudde & Rovira Kaltwasser, 2017;Müller, 2017).

Distress and retaliatory aggression in response to witnessing intergroup exclusion are greater on higher levels of collective narcissism

“…Thus, collective narcissism may be a health risk factor to group members exposed to their in‐group's marginalization but collective narcissism is also a risk factor to those who may be perceived as perpetrators of marginalization. Our findings might indicate that group members who endorse collective narcissism may be more likely to engage in violent retribution after perceived offences to their in‐group (Golec de Zavala & Keenan, 2020 ). They may also be more likely to join violent or extremist groups and advocate terrorist violence (Jasko et al., 2020 ).…”

Collective Narcissism, In-Group Satisfaction, and Solidarity in the Face of COVID-19

“…The negative association between CN and solidarity supports previous theorizing that collective narcissists objectify their in-groups. CN compensates for low self-esteem and reflects a desire for self-importance projected onto an in-group (Golec de Zavala et al, 2019;Golec de Zavala & Keenan, 2020). According to this account, CN is motivated by a shared perception of threat to self-importance rather than a sense of common fate conducive to social solidarity.…”

Collective Narcissism and Its Social Consequences: The Bad and the Ugly

“…However, collective narcissism motivates more than just extremism. It lies behind voting for populist politicians, parties, and policies (e.g., Federico & Golec de Zavala, 2018; for a review, see Golec de Zavala & Keenan, in press; for a meta-analysis, see Forgas & Lantos, 2019). Given that collective narcissism shapes current political landscapes, it is important to understand its mechanisms and consequences (for a summary, see Fig.…”