A conspiracy theory is a
theory which attempts to explain
historical or current events as the
result of a
conspiracy (or conspiracies).
The alleged conspirators may be
accused of anything from
manipulating governments, economies,
or the legal system, to hiding
important information of cultural or
scientific significance. Generally,
conspiracy theories are, by
definition,
unprovable.
The term
conspiracy theory is sometimes
also used refer to
sociological attempts to study
the phenomenon of conspiracy. For
more information, see
conspiracy.
There is a good
deal of variation in the size of
conspiracy theories: they range from
small organisations to single
governments to world-encompassing
conspiracies that are linked to
every major world body. Some
conspiracy theories have been proved
true, some have been proven false,
but the majority remain unproven.
Conspiracy
theorists are often considered
paranoid and conspiracy theories
are often associated with
paranoid schizophrenia. Indeed,
the diagnosis of schizophrenia has
been used as a means of silencing
political dissent, for example
in the
Soviet Union. (See:
anti-psychiatry). The label of
"conspiracy theory" has also been
used to mock or denigrate social and
political
dissent, for instance when a
powerful public figure is accused of
corruption.
MORE>>>
