Lower classes are most vulnerable to authority because socialization denies them ego-strength

Evidence

But social helplessness, fear and the necessity of suppressing instinctual drives are `naturally greater among the lower classes than among those who have control of the means of power in society’. The chances of achieving self-confidence and ego-strength through family socialization are therefore at their smallest among the lower classes, and, by corollary, the chances are all the greater that they will fall into situations similar to that of the helpless childor, at least, that they will react like children if someone is capable of giving them the impression that they are in such a situation. — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School, 610

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Adult social helplessness, not child biological helplessness, drives the demand for authority — Rolf Wiggershaus, The Frankfurt School: Its History,…, 609; Rising classes fear social judgment for lacking upper-class know-how — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2236; Authoritarian traits may cohere as class norms rather than psychic dynamics (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Authoritarian traits may cohere as class norms rather than psychic dynamics #complicates (0.75)
• Sociability’s democratic reciprocity fails across different social classes #expands (0.75) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 377
• Rising classes fear social judgment for lacking upper-class know-how #complicates (0.72) — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 2236