Reicher, Stephen and Haslam, Alexander. “Questioning the Banality of Evil”

In this article, psychologists Stephen Reicher and Alexander Haslam argue that until recently, the consensus between philosophers, psychologists, and historians was that ordinary people commit evil when they are under the influence of leaders and groups and become blind to the consequences of their actions. However, recent historical studies and scrutiny of the evidence has produced another picture. People do not commit evil because they do not know the consequences of their actions, but because they think it is the right thing to do. To make people do evil, they need to identify with people or groups that condone it. This asks for a new set of questions: Who identifies with such groups? When does identification become more likely? How do genocidal ideologies develop? What is the role of leaders in shaping group ideology?

S.A. Haslam, and S.D. Reicher. “Questioning the banality of evil.” The Psychologist, 2007, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 16-19.