编辑“陰謀論”（章节）

== 作為世界觀的陰謀論 ==
歷史學家[[理查德·霍夫施塔特]]在1964年的一篇文章《{{link-en|美国政治中的偏执风格|The Paranoid Style in American Politics}}》中，論及了[[偏執狂]]和陰謀論在[[美国历史]]上的角色。[[伯纳德·贝林]]在其經典著作《{{link-en|美國革命的思想意識淵源|The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution}}》（1967年）中，同樣表示類似現象能在[[美國革命]]前的北美找到。陰謀史觀為人們的態度貼上標籤，乃至使陰謀論的範圍更為廣泛<ref>{{cite book| last = Bailyn| first = Bernard| title = 'The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution| publisher = [[哈佛大学出版社|Harvard University Press]]| location = Cambridge| id = ASIN: B000NUF6FQ| isbn = 978-0-674-44302-0| year = 1992| orig-year = 1967}}{{page needed|date=2011}}</ref>。

其中一項得到廣泛證明的陰謀論相關事實如下：相信某個陰謀論者，往往傾向於相信其他不相干的陰謀論<ref name="Thresher-Andrews2013"/><ref name="SuttonDouglas2020">{{cite journal |last1=Sutton |first1=Robbie M |last2=Douglas |first2=Karen M |title=Conspiracy theories and the conspiracy mindset: implications for political ideology |journal=Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences |volume=34 |year=2020 |pages=118–122 |issn=2352-1546 |doi=10.1016/j.cobeha.2020.02.015}}</ref>。即使兩個陰謀論直接互相衝突，這點同樣適用——比如相信[[奥萨马·本·拉登]]在巴基斯坦受襲前已身故者，更傾向於相信其仍然在生。從這一發現可見，陰謀論者所相信的內容往往不如「當局在隱瞞些什麼」的想法重要<ref name="Thresher-Andrews2013"/><ref name="SciAm2013">{{Cite web| title = Why People Believe in Conspiracy Theories| last = Linden| first = Sander van der| work = Scientific American| date = 2013-04-30| access-date = 2020-10-16| url = https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-people-believe-conspiracy-theories/| archive-date = 2021-01-15| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210115000651/https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-people-believe-conspiracy-theories/| dead-url = no}}</ref><ref name="BilewiczCichocka2015">{{cite book |author1=Michal Bilewicz |author2=Aleksandra Cichocka |author3=Wiktor Soral |title=The Psychology of Conspiracy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WrJhCQAAQBAJ |date=2015-05-15 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-59952-4 |access-date=2020-12-23 |archive-date=2020-12-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201226023011/https://books.google.com/books?id=WrJhCQAAQBAJ |dead-url=no }}</ref>。

弗兰克·P·明茨（ Frank P. Mintz）這名學者於1980年代使「陰謀史觀」（conspiracism）一詞更廣為人知。明茨把陰謀史觀定義為：「相信阴谋在历史发展中具備決定性作用」<ref name=Mintz1985>{{cite book| last = Mintz| first = Frank P.| title = The Liberty Lobby and the American Right: Race, Conspiracy, and Culture| publisher = Greenwood | location = Westport, CT | isbn = 978-0-313-24393-6| year = 1985}}</ref>{{rp|4}}：

{{quote|陰謀史觀满足了世界各地不同政治和社会团体的需要。它識別各路精英，然後把經濟和社會災難視之所為。认为一旦民众行动起來，将他们赶下权力岗位，情况就会好转。因此，阴谋论跨越了時代和意識形態<ref name=Mintz1985/>{{rp|199}}。}}

《[[時代雜誌]]》的{{link-en|贾斯汀·福克斯|Justin Fox}}認為，华尔街的交易员為較有阴谋意识的群体。他以一部分跟金融市場有關的陰謀論的真實性，以及陰謀論能夠為市場的日常活動提供必要的導向作相關論證<ref name="business.time.com">Justin Fox: [http://business.time.com/2009/10/01/wall-streeters-like-conspiracy-theories-always-have/ "Wall Streeters like conspiracy theories. Always have"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160226100601/http://business.time.com/2009/10/01/wall-streeters-like-conspiracy-theories-always-have/ |date=2016-02-26 }}, ''Time'', 2009-10-01.</ref>。
===中東===
阴谋论在[[阿拉伯人|阿拉伯]]文化與政治中頗為常見<ref name=Gray>{{cite book|title=Conspiracy Theories in the Arab World|author=Matthew Gray|isbn=978-0-415-57518-8|year=2010}}</ref>。他們部分陰謀論跟殖民主義、[[錫安主義]]、超級大國、石油、[[反恐战争]]有關；他們可能視反恐战争為對伊斯蘭教發動的宗教戰爭<ref name=Gray/>。当地亦广为流傳着指稱猶太人密謀掌控世界的[[惡作劇|偽造]]文件《[[锡安长老会纪要]]》<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/26/world/anti-semitic-elders-of-zion-gets-new-life-on-egypt-tv.html|title=Anti-Semitic 'Elders of Zion' Gets New Life on Egypt TV|last=Wakin|first=Daniel J.|date=2002-10-26|work=The New York Times|access-date=2014-08-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816063157/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/26/world/anti-semitic-elders-of-zion-gets-new-life-on-egypt-tv.html|archive-date= 2014-08-16|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.freedomhouse.org/religion/pdfdocs/KSAtextbooks06.pdf |title=2006 Saudi Arabia's Curriculum of Intolerance |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060823125127/http://www.freedomhouse.org/religion/pdfdocs/KSAtextbooks06.pdf |archive-date=2006-05-23}} Report by Center for Religious Freedom of Freedom House. 2006</ref><ref>[https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB113046423225782130 "The Booksellers of Tehran"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410052122/https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB113046423225782130 |date=2017-04-10 }}, ''[[华尔街日报|The Wall Street Journal]]'',  2005-10-28</ref>。{{link-en|罗杰·科恩|Roger Cohen}}認為，阴谋论之所以在阿拉伯世界受到歡迎，是因為他們「穷途末路」<ref name="Cohen">{{cite news |last=Cohen |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Cohen |title=The Captive Arab Mind |newspaper=The New York Times |date=2010-12-20 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/opinion/21iht-edcohen21.html |access-date=2017-02-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170625080138/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/21/opinion/21iht-edcohen21.html |archive-date=2017-06-25 |deadurl=no }}</ref>。阿尔-穆明（Al-Mumin）指出了阴谋论的危險性，表示它们「使我们远离真相，无法面对自己的错误和问题」<ref>{{cite news|url=http://old.nationalreview.com/comment/stalinsky200405060835.asp|title=A Vast Conspiracy|date=2004-05-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004220251/http://old.nationalreview.com/comment/stalinsky200405060835.asp|archive-date= 2013-10-04|work=National Review|author=Steven Stalinsky}}</ref>。

[[奥萨马·本·拉登]]和[[艾曼·扎瓦希里]]利用有關[[美国]]的陰謀論，去为阿拉伯世界的[[基地组织]]爭取支持，把自身跟類似組織區分開來，不過他們有可能不相信從自己口中吐出的陰謀論<ref name="Gray158-159">{{cite book|author=Matthew Gray|title=Conspiracy Theories in the Arab World: Sources and Politics|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BpxdBwAAQBAJ|date=2010-07-12|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-136-96751-1|pages=158–159|access-date=2020-12-24|archive-date=2020-12-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201226023035/https://books.google.com/books?id=BpxdBwAAQBAJ|dead-url=no}}</ref>。

=== 美國 ===
哈利·G·韦斯特（Harry G. West）等人表示，虽然在大眾的觀感上阴谋论者只是「边缘的少数」，但某些证据顯示，美国很多人或多或少相信一些阴谋论。韦斯特把阴谋论跟[[民族主義|超民族主義]]和[[原教旨主義|宗教原教旨主義]]相提並論<ref>{{cite book |title = Transparency and Conspiracy: Ethnographies of Suspicion in the New World Order | author = Harry G. West|publisher=Duke University Press Books|pages=4, 207–08|display-authors=etal}}</ref><ref>Shermer, Michael, and Pat Linse.  ''Conspiracy Theories''.  Altadena, CA: Skeptics Society, n.d.  Print.</ref>。

神学家罗伯特·朱伊特（Robert Jewett）和哲学家{{link-en|约翰·谢尔顿·劳伦|John Shelton Lawrence}}認為阴谋论在美国盛行的背後原因在於[[冷战]]、[[麦卡锡主义]]、抗拒權威的[[1960年代反文化运动|反文化运动]]。他们指出，不論左右翼，皆會以苏联的阴谋、[[華倫委員會|華倫委員會報告的不一致之處]]、九一一襲擊等真實事件，去支持沒有得到證實的大規模陰謀的確存在的說法<ref>Jewett, Robert; John Shelton Lawrence (2004) ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=VE2k18ScPnQC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=%22conspiracy%20theories%22 Captain America and the crusade against evil: the dilemma of zealous nationalism] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418133818/https://books.google.com/books?id=VE2k18ScPnQC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=%22conspiracy%20theories%22 |date= 2019-04-18 }}'' Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing p. 206.</ref>。

[[水门事件]]亦為其他陰謀論加添幾筆可信性，[[理查德·尼克松]]自身曾稱它作「[[墨迹测验]]」，其他人能夠不斷為之加添自己的猜想<ref name="knight-2003" />。

歷史學家凯瑟琳·S·奥姆斯特德（Kathryn S. Olmsted）提到了美國人傾向於相信陰謀論的三個原因：
#冷战期间，美国政府部分行动做得太过火，並有着一股秘密主义作风。相關例子：[[水门事件]]、[[塔斯基吉梅毒試驗]]、[[MKUltra计划]]、[[暗杀菲德尔·卡斯特罗事件]]。
#政府过去有着为了宣傳而支持阴谋论的先例。相關例子：二戰期間宣稱德國已滲透到美國、錯誤指責萨达姆·侯赛因在九一一襲擊中扮演着一定角色。
#美國政府把監視和骚扰持不同政見者視為《1918年煽动法》、[[反谍计划]]、[[红色恐慌]]等行動的一環，導致人民不信任政府<ref>Olmsted, Kathryn S. (2011) ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=u7Sd5vyOOtEC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA8#v=onepage Real Enemies: Conspiracy Theories and American Democracy, World War I to 9/11] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418133815/https://books.google.com/books?id=u7Sd5vyOOtEC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA8#v=onepage |date= 2019-04-18 }}'', Oxford University Press, p. 8.</ref>。