Demagogues are cynical manipulators distinct from their authoritarian followers

Evidence

While he viewed demagogues as typically also having authoritarian personalities, he attributed certain other characteristics to them that set them apart from their more conventional “authoritarian” followers. They were motivated by power, wealth, and success, and were cynical, manipulative, and charismatic enough to use others to try to achieve these goals Allport and Adorno’s Authoritarian Personalities Compared Allport’s concept of the authoritarian personality was very similar to that of Adorno et al. — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2434

Categorization

• SEED: A possible essay angle: the hypothesis that demagogues are not true believers but cynical exploiters of their followers’ authoritarianism — and what that implies for countering demagoguery.