Benevolent beliefs can recruit subordinates into supporting their own oppression.

Evidence

Because Allport overlooked the power of benevolence to reinforce the status quo, it is fair to say that he was not “supported” because he did not think beyond hostile prejudice, or consider how subordinates might be wooed into supporting their own oppression. It is even possible that these oversights contributed to his blind spot with respect to sex discrimination, and thus, to his dismissal of gender conflict. — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 773

Categorization

• ADDENDUM: Builds directly on the sacrifice article’s insight that ritual systems recruit the oppressed into their own subordination — benevolence here parallels sacral kingship as ideological glue.
• XREF: Connects to Gramscian hegemony and to Jackman’s ‘velvet glove’ theory of gender as paternalism noted in this same volume. — connects to: Oppression alienates the subordinate into viewing herself through the master’s eyes — Sarah Bakewell, At the Existentialist Café: Freedom,…, 674; Emancipatory projects can force one to oppress others whose goals one endorses — Christine Daigle, Jacob Golomb (eds.), Beauvoir and Sartre: The Riddle of…, 501; Disadvantaged groups accept stereotypes that sustain their own oppression. — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology: Key Readings, 2911 (+4 more)