ABSTRACT
The term “scapegoat” comes from the biblical passage commanding the Israelites to place symbolically their collective sins on the head of a goat which is then sent out to “bear the iniquities of the people upon him to a solitary land” (Lev. 16:6-22). It has come to mean anyone who must bear responsibility symbolically or concretely for the sins of others. Psychologically, the tendency to find scapegoats is a result of the common defense mechanism of denial through projection. Some societies have ritualized the process of scapegoating, of expelling a person or creature who then carries evil and misfortune from out of their midst. In many instances, this expulsion entailed human sacrifice (e.g., the Greek pharmakos). Human victims were chosen for a variety of reasons-often the particularly ugly, old, ill, poor-but even kings and gods could become victims. Crucial to these human sacrifices is the unanimity of the action-for example, victims stoned by the whole community-which characterizes “sacred violence.” Some analysts contend that this unanimity moves the community from uncontrolled reciprocal violence to directed and ritually limited violence. In some senses the first steps toward social cohesion may be built upon such rituals. As an acknowledgment of the vital role that the victim plays in the life of the community, scapegoats often receive specially favored treatment before their expulsion/execution and have a sacred aura.
