In the 1940s, the authors of this groundbreaking work, an extension of the Frankfurt School's studies of the authoritarian personality, warned that a time might come when Americans would fall prey to the psychological manipulation of a rabble rouser. In the era of Trump and a rising right-wing populism, this illuminating book is horrifyingly timely once again. Prophets of Deceit delves into the rise of populism in the twentieth century. It examines the psychological deceptions employed by ideologues, exploring key concepts of their rhetoric and propaganda. It shows, in particular, the formation of the agitator, who positions himself as a unifying presence: the only leader capable of freeing his audience from the perceived enemy. Yet, as the authors demonstrate, he is an individual of limited intellect responsible for creating the very social or racial disharmony he claims to resolve. Book jacket.