Can political ideologies be defined by personality disorder symptoms?

Can political ideologies be defined by personality disorder symptoms? I see a lot of similarities between the way the right behaves and the way people with NPD behave and react. Is this a field of study?

 It’s an interesting question, and an interesting thought.

I agree with your observation; the Right definitely seems to mirror a lot of the same sorts of dysfunction seen in abusive families of origin—an authoritarian and/or abusive parental figure (usually male) and the children who then grow up to either be abusers or find a new abuser in their adult relationships. This authoritarian system seems correct and comfortable to them, so they vote for politicians who reflect these sorts of values and behavior.

Some of the dynamic I observe in Congress seems to be the same sort of appeasement from the cowering Codependent (left) to the abusive Narcissist (right), that sort of magical thinking “If I do everything right and use the exact correct words, maybe this time the abuser won’t hit me, maybe this time I’ll get what I want and need from the relationship” and of course the abuser will find fault, nitpick, and blame the victim for their continued abuse.

And, on a macro to micro level, I see a lot of personality disorder traits and dynamics as a reflection of Patriarchy, Colonialism, and Imperialism. “I’m allowed to abuse you because I’m the male head of the household, it is your job to submit to and appease me. I’m allowed to abuse and exploit you because I am the head of the family, head of the church, head of state, conqueror, ‘discoverer’, my skin color is better/whiter than yours,” bla bla bla.

It does seem that personality disordered people create societies that reflect, reinforce, magnify and justify their disordered behavior towards others and create entire disordered systems.

But. anecdotes aren’t data. I’d love to see a more widespread awareness and some scientific study on this, too. Keep me posted if you get any better answers!

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