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This article is an electronic version of an article originally
published in Cultic Studies Journal, 1992, Volume 9, Number 1, pages 1-77.
Please keep in mind that the pagination of this electronic reprint differs from
that of the bound volume. This fact could affect how you enter bibliographic
information in papers that you may write.
The Cadre Ideal:
Origins and Development of a Political Cult
Janja Lalich, Ph.D.
Abstract
A little-explored sector of the cult world is the political cult. Those who join
such cults are usually seeking to change society in some fundamental way --
right or left -- and are thereby willing to make great sacrifices to attain
their lofty goals. This idealistic commitment is abused by political cult
leaders who skillfully exploit the members' desire to serve. This paper, adapted
from a work-in-progress, dissects the founding and development of a now defunct
political cult. The article shows how thought reform was achieved through the
group's indoctrination and training methods, carried out under the pretense of
"working for the greater good," and details specific manipulative techniques
that served to create and uphold a cultic environment and a harsh and
exclusionary life-style.
Full text available through
ICSA E-Library.
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