Dutch van der Linde is an important figure in both Red Dead Redemption and its sequel, Red Dead Redemption 2. Despite his role as an antagonist in the first game, RDR2 reveals that Dutch was once the trusted leader and father figure of the gang. However, despite Arthur’s warnings and attempts to reason with him, Dutch always managed to convince the group that he had a plan that would be their salvation. He repeatedly led them into cycles of killing, stealing, and running, even as they faced mounting problems. Justifying their acts as “just one more job” and they would be set for life. However, players know how it all spiraled down. This raises important questions about leadership and its role in society. In this discussion, we will explore the psychology of Dutch’s leadership and its implications for understanding the nature of leadership.
Toxic Leadership of Dutch
The Van der Linde gang, led by the charismatic Dutch van der Linde, is made up of men, women, and even a child, each playing a critical role in their operation. They hunt, clean, cook, and care for each other, learning to see themselves as family. RDR2 is set at the end of the wild west era, a time when the forces of law and civilization were starting to take hold, leaving outlaws like the Van der Linde gang feeling increasingly uneasy and uncertain of their place in the world. Each member of the gang was drawn in by Dutch’s powerful charisma and given a sense of purpose, including Arthur Morgan, who learned to read, write, and survive under Dutch’s wing. Interestingly, these conditions align with what the American Psychological Association calls “The Toxic Triangle,” in which destructive leaders, susceptible followers, and conducive environments come together to create destructive outcomes.
The Toxic Triangle: Destructive Leader
The Toxic Triangle model highlights the three key factors that contribute to the emergence of destructive leaders: the leader, the followers, and the environment. Dutch van der Linde fits the profile of a destructive leader as he possesses charisma and a dominant personality, which enables him to exert his control over the gang. Furthermore, Dutch’s narcissism is evident through his tendency to prioritize his own goals over the welfare of the group. Interestingly, Dutch however doesn’t speak much of a sad childhood and instead shares a philosophy of freedom and independence, which is why his followers justify their actions believing it’s for a noble cause. Dutch’s justification for their criminal actions as a necessary means to achieve their goals also contributes to the gang’s belief that they are on the right side of the law.
Susceptible Followers
The next factor in the Toxic Triangle is susceptible followers. The Van der Linde gang is made up of misfits, runaways, and orphans who share Dutch’s vision and dream, regardless of the means to get there. Some members conform to the gang’s ideology and see it as a shelter and family, while others collude with Dutch, sharing his ambition and goals. Micah Bell is one of the main colluders, and throughout the gameplay, Arthur Morgan shows how he was also a colluder at first, but slowly began to doubt Dutch’s leadership. Despite his doubts, Arthur continued to follow Dutch out of loyalty and trust in his leadership, until the demise of their group.
Conducive Environment
Finally, the conducive environment played a crucial role in the formation of the toxic triangle. The Van der Linde gang lived in a time when the Wild West era was coming to an end, and they were accustomed to living outside the law. They were afraid of change, and the prospect of civilization encroaching upon their way of life made them hold onto their dream of completing that one last job and finally being free to live peacefully. Moreover, this change threatened Dutch’s leadership within the gang, as other outlaws and the law were after him, causing the gang to keep running to evade the authorities. This constant threat and uncertainty initially made the gang even more reliant on Dutch and reinforced the toxic environment in which they operated.
Dutch van der Linde’s character in Red Dead Redemption and Red Dead Redemption 2 offers an intriguing exploration of the psychology of leadership and the potential consequences of destructive leadership. Through Dutch’s charismatic leadership, the Van der Linde gang became a family of misfits with a shared sense of purpose. However, Dutch’s obsession with his own vision and inability to listen to reason ultimately led the gang into a cycle of violence and destruction, leading to their downfall.
For a destructive leader to thrive, they need the remaining factors such as susceptible followers and a conducive environment. The Toxic Triangle model helps to explain how Dutch’s destructive leadership style was enabled by the susceptible followers and conducive environment of the Wild West era. Understanding the dynamics of destructive leadership is crucial to promoting effective and responsible leadership in all areas of society. By examining the lessons from Dutch’s story, we can better understand the role of leaders, followers, and context in shaping the outcomes of any leadership situation.
Read more about The Toxic Triangle study from North Carolina State University. Click here.
