Social manias are mass movements which periodically sweep through

societies A society () is a group of individuals involved in persistent social interaction or a large social group sharing the same spatial or social territory, typically subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. ...

. They are characterized by an outpouring of enthusiasm, mass involvement and

millenarian Millenarianism or millenarism () is the belief by a religious organization, religious, social, or political party, political group or Social movement, movement in a coming fundamental Social transformation, transformation of society, after which ...

goals. They are contagious social epidemics, and as such they should be differentiated from mania in individuals. Social manias come in different sizes and strengths. Some fail to 'catch fire', while others persist for centuries (although sometimes in severely attenuated form). Common to all is a vision of

salvation Salvation (from Latin: ''salvatio'', from ''salva'', 'safe, saved') is the state of being saved or protected from harm or a dire situation. In religion and theology, ''salvation'' generally refers to the deliverance of the soul from sin and its c ...

, a new way of life, which if realized would radically change everyday life, ushering in a new world of freedom and justice.

Examples

The

Taiping Rebellion The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a civil war in China between the Qing dynasty and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The conflict lasted 14 years, from its outbreak in 1850 until the fall of ...

is an excellent illustration, as it was both widespread and destructive and has no modern adherents to whom its use as an example would be a distraction. The

Ghost dance The Ghost Dance (, also called the Ghost Dance of 1890) is a ceremony incorporated into numerous Native American belief systems. According to the millenarian teachings of the Northern Paiute spiritual leader Wovoka (renamed Jack Wilson), pro ...

which was briefly embraced by Native Americans of the Great Plains in 1890 may be viewed as an example with a historical perspective, as may

The Crusades The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding t ...

Examples

See also

References

Further reading