How Madness Shaped History: An Eccentric Array of Maniacal Rulers, Raving Narcissists, and Psychotic Visionaries

by Christopher J. Ferguson

This book considers the impact of psychology on world events, looking at how mental illness and personality disorders have affected history.

How have mental illness and personality disorders influenced history? This lively investigation demonstrates that, when conditions are ripe, one unstable individual can create the best or worst moments of a generation or even a century.

Beginning with Alexander the Great, whose megalomania caused widespread bloodshed yet powerfully shaped world history through the spread of Greek culture, the author examines the various forms of mental illness among people of great influence. These includes emperors, like the Romans Caligula and Elagabalus, kings like George III of England and Charles II of Spain, and lesser known rulers such as sixteenth-century Hungarian noblewoman Elizabeth Bathory, who is in the Guinness World Records as the most prolific female serial killer of all time.

In more recent times, the author considers the mental instability exhibited by dictators Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, and Idi Amin, as well as female prison guard Irma Grese, whose cruelties at Auschwitz were infamous.

He also discusses rumors of cognitive decline among American presidents Woodrow Wilson, Ronald Reagan, and Donald Trump, and the ways in which American democracy copes with the disability of its leaders. And he considers cases where whole societies seem to be gripped by the madness of mob rule.

Ferguson concludes with an eye toward the future, considering the power of social media to amplify fringe ideas, giving extremist and outright crazy perspectives greater exposure and influence than ever before.

Genres: History, Psychology, Nonfiction, Mental Illness

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 7, 2020

Reviews

[Linda Edmonds Cerullo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting study of the role that madness and mental disorders played in the history of the world. Using familiar names like King George III, Juana the Mad, Roman emperors and the usual maniacs like Stalin and Hitler, Christopher Ferguson explains the consequences of the behaviors displayed by these famous figures and the effect it had on society as well as history itself. While the subject matter is serious and at times disturbing, Professor Ferguson has a humorous way at looking at these troubling situations and the book is a very easy and addictive read. I found it hard to put the book down and kept reading just one more chapter until the early hours of morning. He even dedicates a chapter to two American presidents, Woodrow Wilson and Ronald Reagan, and the possibility that their mental health issues (strokes for Wilson, Alzheimer's for Reagan) might have had an effect on their judgment and he posits the theory that in Wilson's case at least it may have had a sort of "trickle-down" repercussion that contributed in some small way to WWII. He is, surprisingly, very kind to Ronald Reagan. I say that because so many have been so critical of Reagan's second term and stating (without confirmation) that he definitely had Alzheimer's and it probably affected his judgment (most especially Bill Clinton of all people!). Professor Ferguson admits that he is not convinced of that and, having had family members afflicted with Alzheimer's in his own family, his opinion carries some weight. I have had a father with Alzheimer's and my discussions with geriatric psychologists who differ with Professor Ferguson's statements that most cases of Alzheimer's are "inherited" causes me to disagree with his statement. Some people seem to have clusters of it in their family and that could indeed be inherited cases and very often early onset can be inherited. But doctors who treated my father also said that in their experience, that is not often the case. Some cases are triggered by other disorders (in my father's case a surgery that probably should not have been undertaken due to age and issues with his vascular system). That is why I am giving this review a four star rather than a five star. I feel that statement will cause unnecessary anxiety in people who may have one or two members of the family diagnosed with Alzheimer's. It is not entirely the case as people I know who had family members with it did not exhibit symptoms at all and in more than a few cases, the family members lived into their 90s, while mom or dad developed dementia in their 70s. He ends the book with a look at, of course, Donald Trump. I was initially encouraged that he seemed less critical of him than many people who, without treating Trump or even having met him, decided he must be suffering from: dementia, insanity, narcissism, etc. So I was relieved to see what I thought was a positive sort of look at him. Until the end of that chapter when he referred to the Trump administration as "madness". All presidents have narcissism. You would almost have to to believe you can make changes and to have the strong sense of self they have that makes them run. But all in all, I think Trump was not in any way in the league of the others (eliminating Wilson and Reagan who really had physical/mental difficulties) who used their madness against their people. We had more freedom under Trump than we will have under Joe Biden, who is, without question, suffering from early dementia. These are the reasons I am giving four stars.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you love a good true crime podcast or Netflix crime docuseries, this book hits the spot.

[Maher Razouk · Rating 3 out of 5]

في عام 1844 ، كتب الفيلسوف الشيوعي (كارل ماركس) : "الدين هو زفرة المخلوق المضطهد ، وقلب عالم بلا قلب ، وروح ظروف بلا روح. إنه أفيون الشعوب"
كان يقصد بهذا أن الدين غالبًا ما يعمل على تقليل آلام الناس في عالم مليء بالمعاناة والظلم من خلال منحهم بعض الأمل في ما بعد الآن إلى الأبد. لم يكن ماركس من المعجبين بمثل هذه المعتقدات والإيمان ، لأنها تمنع الطبقة العاملة من المطالبة بالمزيد . ثم مرة أخرى ، بالنظر إلى أن فلسفات ماركس أدت مباشرة إلى وفاة عشرات الملايين ، فربما لا يكون الشخص المناسب للمهمة.
قد يكون هناك القليل من الشك ، عند دراسة اقتباس ماركس بشكل أكثر تفاؤلاً ، فإن الإيمان قد جلب بصيرة كبيرة ، وراحة ، ومجتمعًا ، ونعمة لمليارات البشر الذين عاشوا منذ أن بدأت الأديان في التطور في مكان ما في تاريخنا في العصر الحجري.
في الوقت نفسه ، غالبًا ما كان الدين في قلب الظلام الهائل والحرب والقتل والتحيز والكراهية أيضًا. كثير من الناس الذين يصابون بمرض عقلي يعانون من جنون العظمة وأوهام الآلهة والشياطين أو يعتقدون أنفسهم أنبياء أو معالجين سحريين. يمكن أن يكون الدين قوة من أجل الخير ، ولكن في أحلك صوره يكون أيضًا محفزًا للجنون.
.
Christopher J. Ferguson
How Madness Shaped History
Translated By #Maher_Razouk

[Mariano Garcia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

[Sara Goldenberg · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a little .. trying. Reading people's opinions about things that happened hundreds of years ago.

[Μίλτος Τρ. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Διασκεδαστικό ανάγνωσμα αλλά αναπόφευκτα είναι γεμάτο αυθαίρετα συμπεράσματα. Αν αξίζει κάτι είναι τα κεφάλαια για την παράνοια της μάζας, θα βρείτε ομοιότητες.

[Julia Galvao · Rating 3 out of 5]

O livro é bem interessante, mas o final teve muito juízo de valor e aí eu brochei um pouco, daria 3 1/2 estrelas

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

adorei esse livro! muito legal e interessante

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tbh I kinda forgot everything this book said but when I was reading it I remember finding it very interesting. Could be a good book to reread.