Includes bibliographical references (pages 223-240) and index.

"This is the first book to document the extent of political cults on both the right and the left and to explain their significance for mainstream political organizations. The authors begin by outlining the defining characteristics of cults in general, and in ten chapters, they analyze the extent to which a variety of well-known movements fall within the spectrum of what could be defined as cultic organizations, covering such groups and individuals as Lyndon LaRouche, Fred Newman, Lenora Fulani (former co-chair of Pat Buchanan's presidential election campaign), Ted Grant, Marlene Dixon, and the right-wing Christian Identity movement, Posse Commitatus, Aryan Nation, militias, and the Freemen."

"The emphasis is on exploring many groups' ideological underpinnings which predispose them to cultic practices, along with the organizational measures they employ to suppress dissent, achieve intense conformity, and extract extraordinary levels of commitment from their membership. In the process, the authors also discuss how political activists and organizations can guard against falling into the trap of cultism."--Jacket.

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