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In the early 1950s, Jim Jones began working as a self-ordained Christian minister in Indianapolis. He was selling live monkeys door-to-door to raise money to start his own church. The first church was opened in the mid-1950s. His congregation was mixed which during this time was unusual. In the mid-1960s, he moved his small church to Northern California. In 1970s he relocated the headquarters of the organization to San Francisco and opened a Temple. In 1977 the estimate of the group’s team members was at 20,000. Negative reports began to arise and former members gave a description of being forced to give up belongings, homes, and even custody of their children. Once these allegations came to light, Jones invited his congregation to move to Guyana. More than 1,000 moved to Guyana. Jonestown did not turn out to be the way it was described to the congregation. After the move, things were not as described by Jones. Seeking paradise and an escape from racism and persecution in the United States. Instead, they found something that resembled a concentration camp in which they worked long hours with little food and much abuse.Nearly 1,000 people drank lethal cyanide punch or were shot to death, following the orders of their leader, Jim Jones.

In my opinion, I believe Jim Jones had an autocratic leadership style. It is all centered on him and he held the authority. Makes all the decisions without consulting with the people.

The symptoms of the groupthink are, 1) invulnerability, it was presented as a utopia and thought it would be taking big risks. But, later was found out what it really was about. 2) self-censorship, the members were afraid to disagree to the doctrine because it could be lots of trouble. 3) Pressure on dissent, members were forced to drink the poisonous punch. If the people would have asked more questions, not be afraid, not take so much instructions from Jones’ they would not be a part of history.

https://soapboxie.com/social-issues/Dont-Drink-the-Kool-Aid-The-Power-of-Group-Think
http://www.history.com/topics/jonestown/print