Andrew Lobaczewski - Political Ponerology: A Science on the Nature of Evil Adjusted for Political Purposes

effect already being done. In practice, however, the majority of

chromosomal anomalies are not transferred to the next genera-

tion; furthermore, their carriers constitute a very small propor-

tion of the population at large, and their general intelligence is

lower than the social average, so their ponerological role is

even smaller than their statistical distribution. Most problems

are caused by the XYY karyotype47 which produces men who

are tall, strong, and emotionally violent, with an inclination to

collide with the law. These engendered tests and discussions,

but their role at the level studied herein is also very small.

47 Sandberg, A. A.; Koepf, G. F.; Ishihara, T.; Hauschka, T. S. (August 26,

1961) “An XYY human male”. Lancet 2, 488-9.

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Much more numerous are those psychological deviations

which play a correspondingly greater role as pathological fac-

tors in the ponerological processes; they are most probably

transmitted through normal heredity. However, this realm of

genetics in particular is faced with manifold biological and

psychological difficulties as far as recognizing these phenom-

ena. People studying their psychopathology lack biological

isolation criteria. Biologists lack clear psychological differen-

tiation of such phenomena which would permit studies of he-

redity mechanics and some other properties.

At the time most of the observations on which this book is

based were being done, the works of many researchers who

have since shed light upon many aspects of the matters dis-

cussed herein, during the latter half of the sixties, were either

nonexistent or unavailable. Scientists studying the phenomena

described below were hacking their way through a thicket of

symptoms based on previous works and on their own efforts.

An understanding of the essence of some of these hereditary

anomalies and their ponerogenic role proved a necessary pre-

condition for reaching the primary goal. Results were gleaned

which served as a basis for further reasoning. For the sake of

the overall picture, and because the manner elaborated also

brings in certain theoretical values, I decided to retain the

methodology of description for such anomalies which emerged

from my own work and from that of others at the time.

Numerous scientists during the above-mentioned fertile era,

and some subsequent scientists, such as R. Jenkins, H.

Cleckley, S.K. Ehrlich, K.C. Gray, H.C. Hutchison, F. Kraupl

Taylor, and others did cast more stereoscopic light upon the

matter. They were clinicians, concentrating their attention upon

the more demonstrative cases which play a lesser role in the

processes of the genesis of evil, in accordance with the above-

mentioned general rule of ponerology. We therefore need to

differentiate those analogic states which are less intense or

contain less of a psychological deficit. Equally valuable for

ponerology are inquiries concerning the nature of the phenom-

ena under discussion, which facilitate differentiation of their

essence and analysis of their role as pathological factors in the

genesis of evil.

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123

~~~

Schizoidia: Schizoidia, or schizoidal psychopathy, was iso-

lated by the very first of the famous creators of modern psy-

chiatry.48 From the beginning, it was treated as a lighter form

of the same hereditary taint which is the cause of susceptibility

to schizophrenia. However, this latter connection could neither

be confirmed nor denied with the help of statistical analysis,

and no biological test was then found which would have been

able to solve this dilemma. For practical reasons, we shall dis-

cuss schizoidia with no further reference to this traditional

relationship.

Literature provides us with descriptions of several varieties

of this anomaly, whose existence can be attributed either to

changes in the genetic factor or to differences in other individ-

ual characteristics of a non-pathological nature. Let us thus

sketch these sub-species’ common features.

Carriers of this anomaly are hypersensitive and distrustful,

while, at the same time, pay little attention to the feelings of

others. They tend to assume extreme positions, and are eager to

retaliate for minor offenses. Sometimes they are eccentric and

odd. Their poor sense of psychological situation and reality

leads them to superimpose erroneous, pejorative interpretations

upon other people’s intentions. They easily become involved in

activities which are ostensibly moral, but which actually inflict

48 Emil Kraepelin (1856- 1926): German psychiatrist who attempted to create

a synthesis of the hundreds of mental disorders, grouping diseases together

based on classification of common patterns of symptoms, rather than by

simple similarity of major symptoms in the manner of his predecessors. In

fact, it was precisely because of the demonstrated inadequacy of the older

methods that Kraepelin developed his new diagnostic system. Kraepelin also

demonstrated specific patterns in the genetics of these disorders and specific

and characteristic patterns in their course and outcome. Generally speaking,

there tend to be more schizophrenics among the relatives of schizophrenic

patients than in the general population, while manic-depression is more fre-

quent in the relatives of manic-depressives. Kraepelin should be credited with

being the founder of modern scientific psychiatry, psychopharmacology and

psychiatric genetics, according to the eminent psychologist H. J. Eysenck in

his Encyclopedia of Psychology. Kraepelin postulated that psychiatric dis-

eases are principally caused by biological and genetic disorders. His psychiat-

ric theories dominated the field of psychiatry at the beginning of the twenti-

eth century. He vigorously opposed the approach of Freud who regarded and

treated psychiatric disorders as caused by psychological factors. (Wikipedia)

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damage upon themselves and others. Their impoverished psy-

chological worldview makes them typically pessimistic regard-

ing human nature. We frequently find expressions of their

characteristic attitudes in their statements and writings: “Hu-

man nature is so bad that order in human society can only be

maintained by a strong power created by highly qualified indi-

viduals in the name of some higher idea.” Let us call this typi-

cal expression the “schizoid declaration”.

Human nature does in fact tend to be naughty, especially

when the schizoids embitter other people’s lives. When they

become wrapped up in situations of serious stress, however, the

schizoid’s failings cause them to collapse easily. The capacity

for thought is thereupon characteristically stifled, and fre-

quently the schizoids fall into reactive psychotic states so simi-

lar in appearance to schizophrenia that they lead to misdiagno-

ses.

The common factor in the varieties of this anomaly is a dull

pallor of emotion and lack of feeling for the psychological

realities, an essential factor in basic intelligence. This can be

attributed to some incomplete quality of the instinctive substra-

tum, which works as though founded on shifting sand. Low

emotional pressure enables them to develop proper speculative

reasoning, which is useful in non-humanistic spheres of activ-

ity, but because of their one-sidedness, they tend to consider

themselves intellectually superior to “ordinary” people.

The quantitative frequency of this anomaly varies among

races and nations: low among Blacks, the highest among Jews.

Estimates of this frequency range from negligible up to 3 %. In

Poland it may be estimated as 0.7 % of population. My obser-

vations suggest this anomaly is autosomally hereditary.49

A schizoid’s ponerological activity should be evaluated in

two aspects. On the small scale, such people cause their fami-

lies trouble, easily turn into tools of intrigue in the hands of

clever and unscrupulous individuals, and generally do a poor

job of raising children. Their tendency to see human reality in

49 Autosomal: the disease is due to a DNA error in one of the 22 pairs that are

not sex chromosomes. Both boys and girls can then inherit this error. If the

error is in a sex chromosome, the inheritance is said to be sex-linked. [Edi-

tor’s note.]

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125

the doctrinaire and simplistic manner they consider “proper” –

i.e. “black or white” - transforms their frequently good inten-

tions into bad results. However, their ponerogenic role can

have macrosocial implications if their attitude toward human

reality and their tendency to invent great doctrines are put to

paper and duplicated in large editions.

In spite of their typical deficits, or even an openly schizoi-

dal declaration, their readers do not realize what the authors’

characters are really like. Ignorant of the true condition of the

author, such uninformed readers thed to interpret such works in

a manner corresponding to their own nature. The minds of

normal people tend toward corrective interpretation due to the

participation of their own richer, psychological world view.

At the same time, many other readers critically reject such

works with moral disgust but without being aware of the spe-

cific cause.

An analysis of the role played by Karl Marx’s works easily

reveals all the above-mentioned types of apperception and the

social reactions which engendered animosity between large

groups of people.

When reading any of those disturbingly divisive works, we

should examine them carefully for any of these characteristic

deficits, or even an openly formulated schizoid declaration.

Such a process will enable us to gain a proper critical distance

from the contents and make it easier to dig the potentially valu-

able elements out of the doctrinaire material. If this is done by

two or more people who represent greatly divergent interpreta-

tions, their methods of perception will come closer together,

and the causes of dissent will dissipate. Such a project might be

attempted as a psychological experiment and for purposes of

proper mental hygiene.

~~~

Essential psychopathy: Within the framework of the above

assumptions, let us characterize another heredity-transmitted

anomaly whose role in ponerogenic processes on any social

scale appears exceptionally great. We should also underscore

that the need to isolate this phenomenon and examine it in de-

tail became quickly and profoundly evident to those research-

ers – including the author - who were interested in the macro-

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social scale of the genesis of evil, because they witnessed it. I

acknowledge my debt to Kazimierz Dabrowski50 in doing this

and calling this anomaly an “essential psychopathy”.

Biologically speaking, the phenomenon is similar to color-

blindness but occurs with about ten times lower frequency

(slightly above 1/2%),51 except that, unlike color blindness, it

affects both sexes. Its intensity also varies in scope from a level

barely perceptive to an experienced observer to an obvious

pathological deficiency.

Like color blindness, this anomaly also appears to represent

a deficit in stimulus transformation, albeit occurring not on the

sensory but on the instinctive level.52 Psychiatrist of the old

school used to call such individuals “Daltonists of human feel-

ings and socio-moral values”.

The psychological picture shows clear deficits among men

only; among women it is generally toned down, as by the effect

of a second normal allele. This suggests that the anomaly is

also inherited via the X chromosome, but through a semi-

dominating gene. However, the author was unable to confirm

this by excluding inheritance from father to son.

Analysis of the different experiential manner demonstrated

by these individuals caused us to conclude that their instinctive

substratum is also defective, containing certain gaps and lack-

ing the natural syntonic responses commonly evidenced by

50 Kazimierz Dabrowski (1902-1980):Polish psychologist, psychiatrist, phy-

sician, and poet. Dabrowski developed the theory of Positive Disintegration,

a novel approach to personality development, over his lifetime of clinical and

academic work. [Editor’s note.]

51 Recent research by Robert Hare, then Martha Stout, and finally Salekin,

Trobst, Krioukova, have tended to increase the probably rate of occurrence in

a given population. The latter researchers, in “Construct Validity of Psycho-

pathy in a Community Sample: A Nomological Net Approach”, Salekin,

Trobst, Krioukova, Journal of Personality Disorders, 15(5), 425-441, 2001),

suggest the prevalence of psychopathy to be perhaps 5% or more, although

the vast majority of those will be male (more than 1/10 males versus ap-

proximately 1/100 females). [Editor’s note.]

52 Current day research suggests that many of the characteristics displayed by

psychopaths are closely associated with a profound lack of ability to con-

struct an empathic mental and emotional “facsimile” of another person. They

seem completely unable to “get into the skin” of others, except in a purely

intellectual sense. [Editor’s note.]

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members of the species Homo Sapiens.53 Our species instinct is