Mormon is creating Amalickiah as a focal point for the ills of Nephite society. From this long distant vantage point we can understand that this was not all to be laid upon Amalickiah’s shoulders. He may have been a persuasive catalyst, but the Nephite “pot” was already near the boiling point. Amalickiah simply added the right amount of extra heat to send it into a roiling boil.