Vigilante ★ Verified

: History also shows darker forms of vigilantism used to enforce social hierarchies, such as the slave patrols of the Antebellum South or the American Protective League during World War I, which targeted those suspected of being "insufficiently loyal" to the nation. The Psychology of the Vigilante

Vigilantism is often described as an "American tradition," though its roots are global.

: Before the term "vigilante" was in common use, movements like the North Carolina Regulators in the 1760s rose up against perceived corruption in the colonial government.

Psychologists identify both individual and contextual drivers for vigilantism. Montana's vigilante obsession obscures the truth

: In the 19th-century American West, "vigilance committees" formed in areas where formal law enforcement was either absent or perceived as corrupt. These groups, such as the Montana vigilantes, were often viewed by settlers as necessary for maintaining order, though they frequently served to enforce the dominance of specific social groups.