The Crowd
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Summary
In The Crowd, through his study of crowd phenomena during the French Revolution, Le Bon correctly identified "the coming of the age of the masses" as well as the terrifying destructive power and possible constructive potential of crowd behavior. The former is precisely the focus of Le Bon's research and the value of this book. In it, through his examination of crowd phenomena, Le Bon found that when multiple individuals gather into a crowd, under the guidance of suggestion, "the unconscious of the crowd" quickly replaces "the conscious of the individual," and individual behavior is governed by "the law of the mental unity of crowds," tending toward uniformity. Hence he said, "the learned and the ignorant alike cannot be seen among the crowd," and "what accumulates in a crowd may be stupidity, not wisdom." In a crowd, because guilt is hard to punish, the group is easily led toward a malicious mood, and individuals are therefore rarely constrained by morality and responsibility. With animal instincts unrestrained, "negative" desires and cruel behavior quickly revive within the crowd.
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers interested in social psychology and crowd behavior
- Observers seeking to understand the psychological mechanisms behind online public opinion and social hotspots
- Professionals in management, marketing, and media who need insight into mass psychology
- Readers who enjoy classic works of social science and seek intellectual depth
Not a good fit for
- Social science researchers expecting rigorous empirical data and quantitative analysis
- Casual readers seeking light stories or practical tips
Reading tips
- Can be read in conjunction with reflection on major modern or contemporary social movements and online events to appreciate the theory's real-world resonance.
- Note the book's historical context; some views bear the imprint of their era and should be absorbed critically.
- Consider first reading quickly to grasp the core arguments, then reading key chapters closely with notes.
About the publisher
Chongqing Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for its titles in the humanities, social sciences, literature and arts, with about 940 books in its catalogue. Its publishing areas cover world history, science fiction, foreign literature, architecture and philosophy. Representative titles include Xiang Da's A History of Communications Between China and the West, Liang Sicheng's Rules of Qing-Style Construction, Liu Cixin's The Three-Body Problem II: The Dark Forest and III: Death's End, Ann Rand's The Fountainhead (25th Anniversary Edition), and Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series. Its authors include Xiang Da, Liu Cixin, Liang Sicheng and Ann Rand. The press has developed distinctive strengths in historical source editing, the introduction and creation of science fiction, the translation of foreign literature, and architecture and philosophy titles, balancing scholarly value with general readership. As public information is limited, this profile outlines its publishing directions based only on the books in the catalogue.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 译者语
- 序言
- 引言：群体的时代
- 第一卷 群体的性格
- 第一章 群体的基本特征——心理统一律
- 第二章 群体的情绪与道德
- 第三章 群体的思想观念、推理能力和想象力
- 第四章 群体信仰表现出的宗教形态
- 第二卷 群体的思想和信念
- 第一章 影响群体信念的间接因素
- 第二章 影响群体信念的直接因素
- 第三章 群体的领袖和他们的说服手段
- 第四章 群体信仰和观念变化的极限
- 第三卷 群体的分类以及对它们的描述
- 第一章 群体的分类
- 第二章 所谓犯罪群体
- 第三章 刑事陪审团
- 第四章 选民群体
- 第五章 议会
FAQ
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About the author
Gustave Le Bon (1841–1931) was a French social psychologist, sociologist, and physicist, and the founder of crowd psychology. He is best known for The Crowd, and he devoted sustained attention to group behavior and national psychology; his theories have had a lasting influence on later social psychology. In the Chinese book market, Le Bon's works circulate in many editions and selections, with 61 related titles held in the collection, commonly classified under psychological research, social psychology, applied psychology, and social science. Readers can find multiple full translations of The Crowd, boxed sets pairing it with psychological classics such as Inferiority or Superiority, The Interpretation of Dreams, and Our Inner Conflicts, as well as collections of humanist thought for general readers. His writing is marked by observational argument and broad judgments; his views are sharp and often controversial, yet they continue to offer a reference point for understanding crowds, public opinion, and social mentality.
Public information about Fan Ya is limited; the library currently holds only one work by this author, The Crowd. Classified under social psychology, the book addresses topics such as group psychology and conformity, and belongs to popular psychology writing aimed at general readers. Based on the available information, Fan Ya's writing leans toward accessibility and readability, presenting social psychology concepts to a broad audience through clear narration rather than offering an academic monograph for specialists. Since the author's nationality, dates of birth and death, educational background, and writing career cannot be confirmed, this introduction makes no inferences and describes only the subject matter and general positioning of the work according to the library's catalog information, leaving further personal details to be supplemented by later materials.
