Totally anecdotal fringe theory of my own follows.
I’ve long been of the belief that a desire for recognition from others is one of our primary social needs. If this need isn’t being met by mainstream society an individual is susceptible to groups that offer it, no matter how fringe that group may be. So fringe groups thrive when there are large populations of alienated outsiders who feel excluded and unrecognised by society as a whole.
Actually on review I see I’m, pretty much rehashing dolphinboy’s points.
I saw a documentary that interviewed and followed around various neo-Nazy and white-supremacist groups and examined what made them “tick.” It may have been a Frontline investigation, perhaps not.
They did a bit on how they recruited new members. They would look for disaffected youth with few friends, who were considered outcasts for various reasons. Usually some combination of poverty, unstable home life, behavioral problems, etc resulted in them being social misfits. A young member of the group would befriend them, maybe pepper their conversations with a few of their “radical” ideas. Then they’d invite the recruit one of their groups social events, often a concert with a local white supremacist band. Free food and alcohol (the recruits were virtually always underage) was frequently used as an enticement. Pretty soon this friendless, uncool loser has lots of friends and is partying hearty. From there it’s relatively easy to convince them of the groups ideology - they want to fit in with their new friends.
Most fringe groups operate by assigning blame to some group. You’re poor and can barely afford to heat your home and feed your family? Problem is the government keeps giving all our money to freeloading blacks in the big cities. Can’t get a loan for a house or car? Problem is these Jews that secretly run the banking system. They don’t want us to have any money so they can take over. When you get a group together that is receptive to these ideas everyone ends up reinforcing each other, and you end up with a positive feedback loop which pushes the group further and further out there.
[ul]
[li]Many such groups push the idea that they are special, better than everyone else. They are smarter, or know the “real” way things work, or are the vanguard of the future, or have a special connection to God(s). They are the Chosen, the elite.[/li][li]They often preach the idea that their misfortunes are the fault of some enemy group. Blacks, Jews, illegal immigrants, welfare mothers, non-Christians, whatever. The fact that you aren’t rich and famous isn’t your fault, it’s because of them. And related to this…[/li][li]It allows people with a martyr fetish to feed it relatively risk free. It allows them to feel persecuted without the risks of actual persecution - most of these groups after all talk big but never actually do anything.[/li][li]Not just tribalism, but intense tribalism. If all you want is to be part of a group you can join a club. It’s you and your comrades in a crusade to change the world, or a struggle against the Enemy.[/li][/ul]
IME Neo Nazis want to be tough, admire ww2 German armed forces and their uniforms.
On the extreme left envy of people financially better off then them, ie. if they’ve got more money then somehow they must have stolen it off of poorer people somehow.
People with low self esteem, "He thinks he’s better then me because he’s middle class, we’ll show them ".
People who genuinlly believe that Communism works/worked, often from priveleged backgrounds and IME a minority of the converts to the extreme left.
People who when young want to appear dangerous, radical and rebellious to members of the opposite sex, they like dressing up in combats and call themselves anarchists etc.
People who get a thrill out of recreational hooliganism/vandalism but rationalise to themselves that they’re not the same as say soccer hooligans.
These tend to be Animal Liberation Terrorists or anti globals.
Many people choose to follow the extremes of left and right IME at the beginning for non political reasons, but rationalsie themselves into life long belief by habit more then any true convictions.
I am only giving examples from Britain.
There are many and varied reasons for extremists in other countries, none them based on logic IME, but many of them on emotional reasons.
