Psychoanalytic Reflections on the Fascist Ideology present in the Post-Election demonstrations of 2022

Abstract

Although fascism, as a political movement, was defeated at the end of the Second World War, its emergence as an ideology is noticeable in more recent contexts, especially in socially fragmented environments where discouragement, disparities, violent and manipulative messianic leadership prevail, using repeated lies propagated through mass media. Psychoanalytic theory is coherent and adequate to understand, describe, and explain complex socio-political phenomena, including events related to different historical contexts from those in which several of its categories were developed. Other aspects of fascism can be better characterized by psychoanalysis, such as the identification and libidinal bonds between its leader and followers, resentments, death drive, including self-sacrifice, concomitant with a desire for catharsis, redemption, and salvation from a supposed evil that would justify the use of violence. This study aimed, through reflections based on Psychoanalysis, to analyze the dynamics, posture, spirit, and ideology present in the political movement that erupted in the weeks following the 2022 presidential election in Brazil, and, primarily, sought to uncover any fascist aspects present therein.