The True Believer

The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements is a non-fiction book authored by the American social philosopher Eric Hoffer. Published in 1951, it depicts a variety of arguments in terms of applied world history and social psychology to explain why mass movements arise to challenge the status quo. Hoffer discusses the sense of individual identity and the holding to particular ideals that can lead to extremism and fanaticism among both leaders and followers.

Hoffer initially attempts to explain the motives of various types of personalities that give rise to mass movements and why certain efforts succeed while others fail. He articulates a cyclical view of history and explores why and how said movements start, progress, and end. Whether intended to be cultural, ideological, religious, or whatever else, Hoffer argues, mass movements are broadly interchangeable even when their stated goals or values differ dramatically.

This makes sense, in Hoffer's view, given the frequent similarities between them in the psychological influences on their adherents. Thus, many will often flip from one movement to another, Hoffer asserts, and the often shared motivations for participation entail practical effects. Since, whether radical or reactionary, the movements tend to attract the same sort of people in his view, Hoffer describes them as fundamentally using the same tactics and rhetorical tools. As examples, he often refers to the purported political enemies, communism and fascism, and to the religions, Christianity and Islam.

The first and best-known of Hoffer's books, The True Believer has been published in twenty-three editions between 1951 and 2002. He later touched upon similar themes in other works. Interest in the book has been expressed by American President Dwight D. Eisenhower and by American Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton.

Though the book has received wide acclaim, it has also spurred ongoing academic analysis and controversy. The core thesis of the interchangeability of mass movements and the movements' inherent weakness which can cause adherents to slide into dogma and absolutism has attracted substantial challenge; many scholars have cited historical examples of solid group identities that rarely became interchangeable with other communities. Hoffer himself has said that he did not intend his analysis to condemn all mass movements in all contexts, and particularly cited figures such as Jesus of Nazareth who promoted positive ideals. However, he continued to emphasize the central argument of The True Believer.