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I’ve thought about, fought against, and written a lot on radicalization, applying Eric Hoffer’s theory on mass movements to Radical Islam. My article “The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements” lays out some of this. usacac.army.mil/CAC2/MilitaryR… 
Hoffer covers a lot of terrain in his analysis. Two parts apply most strongly to modern day radicalism: his discussion of why mass movements have appeal and his analysis of the traits most likely to produce converts to a mass movement.
Hoffer proposes it is neither the abject poor, nor the sated middle class, nor the wealthy who are most likely attracted to mass movements. Instead, it is the newly poor, or those who feel they have lost status, prestige, or were promised such things, who are most susceptible.
