Chapter 12 - Revolution and Psychology

Summary

Intergral to the neglect of group and intergroup relations in mainstream psychology is the almost complete absence of research on the psychology of revolution. From the perspective of the poor, the psychology of revolution is an important topic because it relates to a possible path for improving the lives of the masses. However, a psychological assessment of revolutions reveals that in most cases they bring about a change in rulers, but not a change in the system of government or end group-based inequalities in society. In many cases, revolutions against a dictatorship result in one dictator being replaced by another, as has happened in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries in Russia, China, Iran, the Arab Spring countries and many other cases. The main reason for revolutions not leading to foundational changes in justice and inequality is limitations in political plasticity, how much and how fast political behavior can change. Political plasticity is shaped by hard-wiring both inside and outside individuals, with hard wiring outside individuals often being the most important factor. Political plasticity is very limited in domains such as leader-follower relations. These limitations in political plasticity can be overcome through extensive and in-depth programs of civic education.