Cults and corrupt businesses, despite their differences, share strikingly similar methods in their use of coercive control. Both employ the four P's of corruption: Pressure, Perception, Power, and Payoff to manipulate and dominate individuals. Understanding these dynamics in both settings can provide insight into the broader mechanisms of control and exploitation.
Pressure
In cults, pressure is applied through constant psychological manipulation, emotional abuse, and sometimes physical coercion. For example, in the notorious cult of Jim Jones’ Peoples Temple, members were subjected to intense social pressure and public shaming to maintain conformity and loyalty. The fear of punishment or excommunication kept members compliant. An Australian example, the Brisbane Christian Fellowship is accused of pressuring its members to strict adherence to its teachings and practices, often isolating those who question or dissent from the group. Members are encouraged to sever ties with non-believers, including family and friends, creating a controlled and insular environment. Similarly, in corrupt businesses, pressure is exerted through unrealistic performance expectations, threats of job loss, and toxic work environments. Employees may be coerced into unethical practices or overworking due to the fear of losing their livelihood.
Perception
Cults manipulate perception by controlling information and promoting an idealised image of the group and its leader. For instance, in the Church of Scientology, leaders depict the organisation as a path to spiritual enlightenment and self-improvement, while tightly controlling the flow of information and isolating members from external criticism. This creates a narrative that justifies their authority and practices. Corrupt businesses, too, control perception through deceptive marketing, misleading financial statements, and suppressing negative information. Companies like Theranos created a facade of groundbreaking innovation while hiding their technological failures and misleading investors, employees, and the public. By shaping perception, both cults and corrupt businesses create an environment where their unethical practices go unquestioned.
Power
In cults, power is centralised in the hands of the leader or a small elite group. This power is maintained through charisma, manipulation, and sometimes force, extending over all aspects of a member’s life. In NXIVM, Keith Raniere exerted absolute control over members, manipulating them into harmful practices and demanding total obedience. In corrupt businesses, power similarly resides with top executives who wield significant influence over the company’s operations. These executives might use their power to silence whistleblowers, manipulate financial outcomes, and exploit employees. The Volkswagen emissions scandal is an example where top executives used their power to deceive regulators and consumers, prioritising profits over ethical behaviour and environmental responsibility.
Payoff
The payoff in cults refers to the perceived spiritual, emotional, or material benefits that members expect to gain. Leaders promise salvation, enlightenment, or a sense of belonging, which keeps members invested despite the abuse. For example, members of the Heaven’s Gate cult believed they would reach an extraterrestrial higher existence, which justified their extreme sacrifices. In corrupt businesses, the payoff is often financial or career advancement. Employees might engage in unethical practices believing it will lead to bonuses, promotions, or job security. The Wells Fargo fake accounts scandal is a case where employees created millions of fraudulent accounts to meet sales targets, driven by the promise of financial rewards and career progression. Both settings leverage the payoff to maintain loyalty and justify unethical behaviour.
Corruption in Cults and Businesses are Both Bad
The four P's of corruption—Pressure, Perception, Power, and Payoff—operate similarly in cults using coercive control and corrupt businesses. By applying relentless pressure, manipulating perception, centralising power, and promising significant payoffs, both cults and corrupt businesses can trap individuals in cycles of abuse and unethical behaviour. Recognising these parallels helps us understand the broader mechanisms of control and exploitation in different contexts, emphasising the need for vigilance and ethical standards to protect individuals from such manipulation.
Despite similarities, corruption within cults often goes unrecognised by the law due to the insidious and covert nature of their practices. Cult leaders can exploit legal loopholes, presenting their organisations as legitimate religious or spiritual groups to evade scrutiny and accountability. They employ sophisticated tactics to control and manipulate members, making it difficult for outsiders, including law enforcement, to detect the abuse. Moreover, victims of cults may be reluctant to come forward due to fear of retaliation or psychological manipulation, further complicating legal intervention. The lack of specific legal frameworks to address the unique dynamics of cultic corruption means that these organisations can continue their harmful activities under the guise of religious freedom or community cohesion.
Further Reading
• Hall, John R. Gone from the Promised Land: Jonestown in American Cultural History. Transaction Publishers, 1987.
• Ortega, Tony. The Unbreakable Miss Lovely: How the Church of Scientology Tried to Destroy Paulette Cooper. Silvertail Books, 2015.
• Reitman, Janet. Inside Scientology: The Story of America’s Most Secretive Religion. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011.
• Edmondson, Sarah. Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM, the Cult That Bound My Life. Chronicle Books, 2019.
• Oxenberg, Catherine. Captive: A Mother’s Crusade to Save Her Daughter from a Terrifying Cult. Gallery Books, 2018.
• Lalich, Janja, and Madeleine Landau Tobias. Cults in Our Midst: The Continuing Fight Against Their Hidden Menace. Wiley, 2006.
• Zeller, Benjamin E. Heaven’s Gate: America’s UFO Religion. New York University Press, 2014.
• McLean, Bethany, and Peter Elkind. The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron. Portfolio, 2003.
• Carreyrou, John. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup. Knopf, 2018.
• Ewing, Jack. Faster, Higher, Farther: The Volkswagen Scandal. W. W. Norton & Company, 2017.
• Hotten, Russell. “Volkswagen: The Scandal Explained.” BBC News, 10 December 2015. BBC News.
• Cowley, Stacy. “Wells Fargo Struggling in the Aftermath of Fraud Scandal.” The New York Times, 12 December 2019. The New York Times.
• McLean, Bethany. “How Wells Fargo’s Cutthroat Corporate Culture Allegedly Drove Bankers to Fraud.” Vanity Fair, May 2017. Vanity Fair.
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