The Psychology of Masses

"The Psychology of Masses" is one of the greatest works on psychology, in which the outstanding French psychologist Gustave Le Bon attempts to understand and systematize the patterns of behaviour of human crowds.

Le Bon distinguishes between a simple "gathering of people" and an "animated crowd," the spontaneous formation of which begins to obey entirely different laws than any individual member of that assembly. According to the author, such an "animated crowd" can form with as few as six people. All properties of the individual in such a "formation" recede into the background. Everything logical, egocentric, and personal in such a mass of people is instantly suppressed by the individuals themselves, and entirely different human properties come to the fore — subconscious ones. The feelings and emotions of all those within such a "formation" are close to primordial and instinctive emotions and reactions. Moreover, such a "crowd" displays and knows no other traits. At the same time, alongside base and animalistic emotions, the animated crowd frequently exhibits impulses toward fatal self-sacrifice and self-denial.

Such a "formation" begins to resemble an unconscious animal that can obviously be controlled like a circus tamer. The role of tamers is taken by "leaders." And the "animated crowd" tamed by them becomes an engine capable of transforming social and political reality in the most fundamental way, both on a regional and global scale!

In other words — everyone should read this!