Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of Brainwashing in China

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Eric Hamell, February 19, 2010 (view all comments by Eric Hamell)
By comparing the accounts of a number of people of varying backgrounds who were subjected to Maoist "thought reform" in the early Fifties, Lifton develops much insight into the processes and mechanisms by which coercive persuasion is attempted and sometimes accomplished, as well as some ideas about the possible motives of the reformers (including non-rational motives) and the kind of historical context that can give rise to such practices.

It was interesting to read about the personal backgrounds of some of the subjects and recognize similarities to elements of my own early life. This provided some insight into why I have had some susceptibility to totalism, as well as successful resistance to its most destructive potentialities. And I became quite engaged by the concluding discussion outlining his idea of "open personal change," as contrasted with the totalistic sort. This seemed very relevant to my own current struggle to find a comfortable balance between engagement and autonomy. I wish Lifton could have gone into greater detail on this topic; perhaps he's done so in subsequent writings.

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Product Details

ISBN:

9780807842539

Author:

Lifton, Robert Jay

Publisher:

University of North Carolina Press

Location:

Chapel Hill :

Subject:

General

Subject:

Motivational

Subject:

History & Theory

Subject:

China

Subject:

Communism

Subject:

Brainwashing

Subject:

Communism -- China.

Subject:

Motivational & Inspirational

Subject:

Self-Help : General

Copyright:

c196

Edition Description:

Bibliography: p. 485-503.

Series Volume:

no. 213

Publication Date:

19890731

Binding:

TRADE PAPER

Language:

English

Illustrations:

Yes

Pages:

524

Dimensions:

8.49x5.54x1.31 in. 1.44 lbs.