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The Crowd/Extraordinary Popular Delusions & the Madness of Crowds
There are two classic texts that deal with crowd psychology and the irrational behavior that characterizes large groups of people acting en masse. They are The Crowd, and Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness Crowds. Both books provide lucid and witty insights into the madness of crowd psychology, such as the tulipmania in Holland, when the price of tulip bulbs was up to astronomical heights. Both of these books are combined into a single volume for the price of one!
288 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1993
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1780 people want to read
About the author
Charles Mackay
645 books148 followersCharles Mackay was a Scottish poet, journalist, author, anthologist, novelist, and songwriter, remembered mainly for his book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds.
Mackay became a journalist in London: in 1834 he was an occasional contributor to The Sun. From the spring of 1835 till 1844 he was assistant sub-editor of the Morning Chronicle. In the autumn of 1839 he spent a month's holiday in Scotland, witnessing the Eglintoun Tournament, which he described in the Chronicle, and making acquaintances in Edinburgh. In the autumn of 1844, he moved to Scotland, and became editor of the Glasgow Argus, resigning in 1847. He worked for the Illustrated London News in 1848, becoming editor in 1852.
Mackay published Songs and Poems (1834), a History of London, The Thames and its Tributaries or, Rambles Among the Rivers (1840), Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (1841), and a romance entitled Longbeard. He is also remembered for his Gaelic Etymology of the Languages of Western Europe and the later Dictionary of Lowland Scotch.
His daughter was English novelist and mystic Marie Corelli.
Mackay became a journalist in London: in 1834 he was an occasional contributor to The Sun. From the spring of 1835 till 1844 he was assistant sub-editor of the Morning Chronicle. In the autumn of 1839 he spent a month's holiday in Scotland, witnessing the Eglintoun Tournament, which he described in the Chronicle, and making acquaintances in Edinburgh. In the autumn of 1844, he moved to Scotland, and became editor of the Glasgow Argus, resigning in 1847. He worked for the Illustrated London News in 1848, becoming editor in 1852.
Mackay published Songs and Poems (1834), a History of London, The Thames and its Tributaries or, Rambles Among the Rivers (1840), Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (1841), and a romance entitled Longbeard. He is also remembered for his Gaelic Etymology of the Languages of Western Europe and the later Dictionary of Lowland Scotch.
His daughter was English novelist and mystic Marie Corelli.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 11, 2013
Despite the extreme racism and sexism of this book, it is thought-provoking in that I felt like I was looking at society through the eyes of the oppressors who focus on manipulating and fooling 'the crowd'. Don't expect a deep class analysis, as a matter of fact he doesn't address class at all but instead divides society by race. He also has absolutely no faith in the great mass of people who are to him 'stupid' and only able to operate off of base psychological drives which their 'superiors' can use to get them to do what is ultimately good for the elites. There were some gems though, i.e.: "**The incessant creation of restrictive laws and regulations surrounding the pettiest actions of existence with the most complicated formalities, inevitably has for its result the confining w/in narrower and narrower limits of the sphere in which citizens may move freely.Victims of the delusion that equality and liberty are the better assured by the multiplication of laws, nations daily consent to put up with trammels increasingly burdensome. They don't accept this legislation with impunity. Accustomed to put up with every yoke, they soon end by desiring servitude, & lose all spontaneousness and energy.
They are then no more than vain shadows, passive, unresisting and powerless automata.***
Having arrived at this point the individual is bound to seek outside himself the forces he no longer finds within him.*
The functions of government necessarily increase in proportion as the indifference and the helplessness of the citizens grow. They it is who must necessarily exhibit the initiative, enterprising, and guiding spirit in which private persons are lacking . It falls on them to undertake everything, direct everything, & take everything under their protection. The state becomes an all-powerful god. Still experience shows that the power of such gods was never either very durable or very strong."
They are then no more than vain shadows, passive, unresisting and powerless automata.***
Having arrived at this point the individual is bound to seek outside himself the forces he no longer finds within him.*
The functions of government necessarily increase in proportion as the indifference and the helplessness of the citizens grow. They it is who must necessarily exhibit the initiative, enterprising, and guiding spirit in which private persons are lacking . It falls on them to undertake everything, direct everything, & take everything under their protection. The state becomes an all-powerful god. Still experience shows that the power of such gods was never either very durable or very strong."
April 16, 2019
Gustavo
Gustave Le Bon's book is one of the greatest works on the crowd behaviour & a must read...Some excerpts worth mentioning..
"Crowds have always undergone the influence of illusions. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim. "
‘…that crowds do not reason, that they accept or reject ideas as a whole, that they tolerate neither discussion nor contradiction, and that the suggestions brought to bear on them invade the entire field of their understanding and tend at once to transform themselves into acts. We have shown that crowds suitably influenced are ready to sacrifice themselves for the ideal with which they have been inspired. We have also seen that they only entertain violent and extreme sentiments, that in their case sympathy quickly becomes adoration, and antipathy almost as soon as it is aroused is transformed into hatred.’’
‘The power of words is so great that it suffices to designate in well-chosen terms the most odious things to make them acceptable to crowds. Taine justly observes that it was by invoking liberty and fraternity—words very popular at the time— that the Jacobins were able "to install a despotism worthy of Dahomey, a tribunal similar to that of the Inquisition, and to accomplish human hecatombs akin to those of ancient Mexico." The art of those who govern, as is the case with the art of advocates, consists above all in the science of employing words.’’
‘‘The orators who know how to make an impression upon them always appeal in consequence to their sentiments and never to their reason. The laws of logic have no action on crowds. To bring home conviction to crowds it is necessary first of all to thoroughly comprehend the sentiments by which they are animated, to pretend to share these sentiments, then to endeavor to modify them by calling up, by means of rudimentary associations, certain eminently suggestive notions…’’
‘‘The social illusion reigns to-day upon all the heaped-up ruins of the past, and to it belongs the future. The masses have never thirsted after truth. They turn aside from evidence that is not to their taste, preferring to deify error, if error seduces them.''
Gustave Le Bon's book is one of the greatest works on the crowd behaviour & a must read...Some excerpts worth mentioning..
"Crowds have always undergone the influence of illusions. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim. "
‘…that crowds do not reason, that they accept or reject ideas as a whole, that they tolerate neither discussion nor contradiction, and that the suggestions brought to bear on them invade the entire field of their understanding and tend at once to transform themselves into acts. We have shown that crowds suitably influenced are ready to sacrifice themselves for the ideal with which they have been inspired. We have also seen that they only entertain violent and extreme sentiments, that in their case sympathy quickly becomes adoration, and antipathy almost as soon as it is aroused is transformed into hatred.’’
‘The power of words is so great that it suffices to designate in well-chosen terms the most odious things to make them acceptable to crowds. Taine justly observes that it was by invoking liberty and fraternity—words very popular at the time— that the Jacobins were able "to install a despotism worthy of Dahomey, a tribunal similar to that of the Inquisition, and to accomplish human hecatombs akin to those of ancient Mexico." The art of those who govern, as is the case with the art of advocates, consists above all in the science of employing words.’’
‘‘The orators who know how to make an impression upon them always appeal in consequence to their sentiments and never to their reason. The laws of logic have no action on crowds. To bring home conviction to crowds it is necessary first of all to thoroughly comprehend the sentiments by which they are animated, to pretend to share these sentiments, then to endeavor to modify them by calling up, by means of rudimentary associations, certain eminently suggestive notions…’’
‘‘The social illusion reigns to-day upon all the heaped-up ruins of the past, and to it belongs the future. The masses have never thirsted after truth. They turn aside from evidence that is not to their taste, preferring to deify error, if error seduces them.''
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January 7, 2017
February 6, 2017
I find it quite musing that such an extraordinary petite volume with such practical value is almost hidden from the tranches of society. This book will explain how the average student, alone, is incredibly bright and full of capability: the student is typically probed into the company of crowds (usually by psychological propaganda) and is then in a state of lower intelligence. This book explains why in corporate life 'the team-oriented' tasks usually produce second rate results. Why people burn small businesses of hard working citizens in protest to police 'racism' (as if those business owners had anything to do with the police??) In short extraversion is fed to the masses in an attempt to place us in groups, thus according to LeBon dumbs us down, which I am in agreement of.
Of the few hands this book will reach another 75% are unlikely to get past the blatant 'racist' or 'feminist' comments. As if the accuser is not in their rare moments of individualism prejudice against another be it: their weight, their clothes, lack of education, manliness in an effeminate world and etc.
If your a realist or if you simply would care to acquire power or abstain from the suggestibility imposed upon thee; then this book is heavenly recommended.
Of the few hands this book will reach another 75% are unlikely to get past the blatant 'racist' or 'feminist' comments. As if the accuser is not in their rare moments of individualism prejudice against another be it: their weight, their clothes, lack of education, manliness in an effeminate world and etc.
If your a realist or if you simply would care to acquire power or abstain from the suggestibility imposed upon thee; then this book is heavenly recommended.
October 2, 2012
Tons of bias, but he has very interesting points.
August 4, 2024
It would be interesting if it weren't so tedious. Way too many examples of the same thing, over and over again.
What is very impressive is Mackay's uncharacteristic (for a man of his time) skepticism and ability to see through centuries of people losing their minds over ridiculous beliefs and schemes.
What is very impressive is Mackay's uncharacteristic (for a man of his time) skepticism and ability to see through centuries of people losing their minds over ridiculous beliefs and schemes.
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February 9, 2021In identifying with a group, the individual subordinates self-analysis and discerning search for the truth in favor of maintaining group interests and cohesion.
In a crowd every sentiment and act is contagious, and contagious to such a degree that an individual reality sacrifices his personal interest to the collective interest.
In crowds the foolish, ignorant, and envious persons are freed from the sense of their insignificance and powerless, and are possessed instead by the notion of brutal and temporary but immense strength.
It is crowds rather than isolated individuals that may be induced to run the risk of death to secure the triumph of a creed or an idea, that may be fired with enthusiasm for glory and honor... Such heroism is without doubt somewhat unconscious, but it is of such heroism that history is made.”
In a crowd every sentiment and act is contagious, and contagious to such a degree that an individual reality sacrifices his personal interest to the collective interest.
In crowds the foolish, ignorant, and envious persons are freed from the sense of their insignificance and powerless, and are possessed instead by the notion of brutal and temporary but immense strength.
It is crowds rather than isolated individuals that may be induced to run the risk of death to secure the triumph of a creed or an idea, that may be fired with enthusiasm for glory and honor... Such heroism is without doubt somewhat unconscious, but it is of such heroism that history is made.”
May 8, 2017
Explains the success of 'bumper sticker' politics that we see so much of today.
January 20, 2019
Go past the sexism and racism and find incredibly insightful and everlasting concepts. Clarified a lot of the "intuitions" I formed as part of crowds and made some excellent extrapolations to the notions of nations and peoples as well. The chapter on parliamentary gatherings is delicious and particularly enlightening.
May 30, 2019
In my own words:
The crowd - anyone, who is influenced more by appearance ("prestige") than arguments.
It's a dynamic property (not clearly expressed in the book), because anyone can become the part of if activated with the right points of "croc brain" (mostly threats). For example, it is why conservatives like to control or mobilize their voters with some external threats.
The crowd - anyone, who is influenced more by appearance ("prestige") than arguments.
It's a dynamic property (not clearly expressed in the book), because anyone can become the part of if activated with the right points of "croc brain" (mostly threats). For example, it is why conservatives like to control or mobilize their voters with some external threats.
August 23, 2021
An important work to better understand our current slide into totalitarianism. Add to this Hannah Arendt's The Origins of Totalitarianism, Joost Meerloo's The Rape of Mind and Sheldon Wolin's Democracy Incorporated.
December 11, 2018
放弃理性、放弃独立思考，被煽动、被利用的乌合之众画像
January 27, 2019
Extremely biased, poor examples, full of logical fallacies. Partly outdated. Style of writing was OK, kind of boring. The points presented are generally valid, but lack depth.
January 13, 2020
It is clearly a product of its time and the bias of the author is pretty much left unchecked.
January 21, 2020
Солидно четиво, но стилът е разлят.
January 11, 2021
The book makes you understand the recent MAGA riot against Capitol Hill, January 6, 2021
March 8, 2021
Informative.
October 15, 2021
Problematic in many ways but a necessary read for anyone interested in the psychology of the masses just like the works of Freud, Tarde, Broch and Canetti.
December 31, 2021
Cruel but true. Live among the crowd but be an outsider with critical thinking.
March 5, 2017
Tons of biases in this book, but a great read (considering the era this was written).
September 5, 2016
Gustave walks through the mind of the crowd. The crowd, regardless of individual intelligence, is reduced to a common level. Many times, the ability to reason ceases and terseness takes over. The crowd reaches civility in pursuit of an ideal, but thereafter returns to barbarism as the ideal is lost; the circle of life continues.
January 24, 2016
A good observation of the "herd mentality" you somehow get when a crowd of people "wirelessly" link their minds together and become a superorganism. Chances are you've experienced the feeling before, and if you realised how you had been so subversively influenced you'd be shocked too.
April 30, 2016
Le Bon as well as McKay are classics. Le Bon was the father of social psychology. Le Bon wrote a lot of other books. For example, The Evolution of Peoples, The Psychology of Socialism, and The Psychology of Revolution, all of them insightful
May 12, 2013
Le Bon does not recognize the difference between the mob and the people.
July 7, 2014
short succulent notes on financial bubble
July 16, 2015
also is out of time,but it can explain some reasons for social things.
September 26, 2016
看的是冯克利的中文译本。
前言太长…
一些观点精辟，也能找到对应的实例：群体的特性，说服陪审员的技巧，异质性群体…
最喜欢结尾概括的几段，精炼，一气呵成。
作者似乎认为种族是内在的，是决定性的因素，但私以为一个种族的气质也与环境等外界因素相辅相成，并非独立。
前言太长…
一些观点精辟，也能找到对应的实例：群体的特性，说服陪审员的技巧，异质性群体…
最喜欢结尾概括的几段，精炼，一气呵成。
作者似乎认为种族是内在的，是决定性的因素，但私以为一个种族的气质也与环境等外界因素相辅相成，并非独立。
December 3, 2016
After USA 2016 election, this book makes sense
September 9, 2016
I doubt there has been a more accurate, concise and brilliant observation ever written.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews