CHAPTERI。SCIENTIFICANDPOLITICALREVOLUTIONS
1。ClassificationofRevolutions2。ScientificRevolutions3。PoliticalRevolutions4。TheresultsofPoliticalRevolutionsCHAPTERII。RELIGIOUSREVOLUTIONS
1。TheimportanceofthestudyofReligiousRevolutionsinrespectofthecomprehensionofthegreatPoliticalRevolutions2。ThebeginningsoftheReformationanditsfirstdisciples3。RationalvalueofthedoctrinesoftheReformation4。PropagationoftheReformation5。Conflictbetweendifferentreligiousbeliefs。Theimpossibilityoftolerance6。TheresultsofReligiousRevolutionsCHAPTERIII。THEACTIONOFGOVERNMENTSINREVOLUTIONS
1。ThefeebleresistanceofGovernmentsintimeofRevolution2。HowtheresistanceofGovernmentsmayovercomeRevolution3。RevolutionseffectedbyGovernments。Examples：China，Turkey，&c4。SocialelementswhichsurvivethechangesofGovernmentafterRevolutionCHAPTERIV。THEPARTPLAYEDBYTHEPEOPLEINREVOLUTIONS
1。ThestabilityandmalleabilityOfthenationalmind2。HowthePeopleregardsRevolution3。ThesupposedpartofthePeopleduringRevolution4。ThepopularentityanditsconstituentelementsBOOKII
THEFORMSOFMENTALITYPREVALENTDURINGREVOLUTION
CHAPTERI。INDIVIDUALVARIATIONSOFCHARACTERINTIMEOF
REVOLUTION
1。TransformationsofPersonality2。ElementsofcharacterpredominantintimeofRevolutionCHAPTERII。THEMYSTICMENTALITYANDTHEJACOBINMENTALITY
1。ClassificationofmentalitiespredominantintimeofRevolution2。TheMysticMentality3。TheJacobinMentalityCHAPTERIII。THEREVOLUTIONARYANDCRIMINALMENTALITIES
1。TheRevolutionaryMentality2。TheCriminalMentalityCHAPTERIV。THEPSYCHOLOGYOFREVOLUTIONARYCROWDS
1。Generalcharacteristicsofthecrowd2。Howthestabilityoftheracialmindlimitstheoscillationsofthemindofthecrowd3。TheroleoftheleaderinRevolutionaryMovementsCHAPTERV。THEPSYCHOLOGYOFTHEREVOLUTIONARYASSEMBLIES
1。PsychologicalcharacteristicsofthegreatRevolutionaryAssemblies2。ThePsychologyoftheRevolutionaryClubs3。AsuggestedexplanationoftheprogressiveexaggerationofsentimentsinassembliesPARTII
BOOKI
THEORIGINSOFTHEFRENCHREVOLUTION
CHAPTER1。THEOPINIONSOFHISTORIANSCONCERNINGTHEFRENCH
REVOLUTION
1。TheHistoriansoftheRevolution2。ThetheoryofFatalisminrespectoftheRevolution3。ThehesitationofrecentHistoriansoftheRevolution4。ImpartialityinHistoryCHAPTERII。THEPSYCHOLOGICALFOUNDATIONSOFTHEANCIENREGIME
1。TheAbsoluteMonarchyandtheBasisoftheAncienRegime2。TheinconveniencesoftheAncienRegime3。LifeundertheAncienRegime4。EvolutionofMonarchicalfeelingduringtheRevolutionCHAPTERIII。MENTALANARCHYATTHETIMEOFTHEREVOLUTION
ANDTHEINFLUENCEATTRIBUTEDTOTHEPHILOSOPHERS
1。OriginandPropagationofRevolutionaryIdeas2。ThesupposedinfluenceofthePhilosophersoftheeighteenthcenturyupontheGenesisoftheRevolution。
TheirdislikeofDemocracy3。ThephilosophicalideasoftheBourgeoisieatthetimeoftheRevolutionCHAPTERIV。PSYCHOLOGICALILLUSIONSRESPECTINGTHEFRENCH
REVOLUTION
1。IllusionsrespectingPrimitiveMan，thereturntotheStateofNature，andthePsychologyofthePeople2。IllusionsrespectingthepossibilityofseparatingManfromhisPastandthepowerofTransformationattributedtotheLaw3。IllusionsrespectingtheTheoreticalValueofthegreatRevolutionaryPrinciplesBOOKII
THERATIONAL，AFFECTIVE，MYSTIC，ANDCOLLECTIVEINFLUENCESACTIVE
DURINGTHEREVOLUTION
CHAPTERI。THEPSYCHOLOGYOFTHECONSTITUENTASSEMBLY
1。PsychologicalinfluencesactiveduringtheFrenchRevolution2。DissolutionoftheAncienRegime。TheassemblingoftheStatesGeneral3。TheconstituentAssemblyCHAPTERII。THEPSYCHOLOGYOFTHELEGISLATIVEASSEMBLY
1。PoliticaleventsduringthelifeoftheLegislativeAssembly2。MentalcharacteristicsoftheLegislativeAssemblyCHAPTERIII。THEPSYCHOLOGYOFTHECONVENTION
1。TheLegendoftheConvention2。ResultsofthetriumphoftheJacobinReligion3。MentalcharacteristicsoftheConventionCHAPTERIV。THEGOVERNMENTOFTHECONVENTION
1。TheactivityoftheClubsandtheCommuneduringtheConvention2。TheGovernmentofFranceduringtheConvention：theTerror3。TheEndoftheConvention。TheBeginningsoftheDirectoryCHAPTERV。INSTANCESOFREVOLUTIONARYVIOLENCE
1。PsychologicalCausesofRevolutionaryViolence2。TheRevolutionaryTribunals3。TheTerrorintheProvincesCHAPTERVI。THEARMIESOFTHEREVOLUTION
1。TheRevolutionaryAssembliesandtheArmies2。TheStruggleofEuropeagainsttheRevolution3。PsychologicalandMilitaryFactorswhichdeterminedthesuccessoftheRevolutionaryArmiesCHAPTERVII。PSYCHOLOGYOFTHELEADERSOFTHEREVOLUTION
1。MentalityofthemenoftheRevolution。Therespectiveinfluenceofviolentandfeeblecharacters2。PsychologyoftheCommissariesorRepresentatives``onMission’’
3。DantonandRobespierre4。Fouquier—Tinville，Marat，Billaud—Varenne，&c。
5。ThedestinyofthoseMembersoftheConventionwhosurvivedtheRevolutionBOOKIII
THECONFLICTBETWEENANCESTRALINFLUENCESANDREVOLUTIONARY
PRINCIPLES
CHAPTERI。THELASTCONVULSIONSOFANARCHY。THEDIRECTORY
1。PsychologyoftheDirectory2。DespoticGovernmentoftheDirectory。RecrudescenceoftheTerror3。TheAdventofBonaparte4。CausesoftheDurationoftheRevolutionCHAPTERII。THERESTORATIONOFORDER。THECONSULARREPUBLIC
1。HowtheworkoftheRevolutionwasconfirmedbytheConsulate2。There—organisationofFrancebytheConsulate3。PsychologicalelementswhichdeterminedthesuccessoftheworkoftheConsulateCHAPTERIII。POLITICALRESULTSOFTHECONFLICTBETWEEN
TRADITIONSANDTHEREVOLUTIONARYPRINCIPLESDURINGTHE
LASTCENTURY
1。ThepsychologicalcausesofthecontinuedRevolutionaryMovementstowhichFrancehasbeensubject2。Summaryofacentury’sRevolutionaryMovementsinFrancePARTIII
THERECENTEVOLUTIONOFTHEREVOLUTIONARYPRINCIPLES
CHAPTERI。THEPROGRESSOFDEMOCRATICBELIEFSSINCETHE
REVOLUTION
1。GradualpropagationofDemocraticIdeasaftertheRevolution2。TheunequalinfluenceofthethreefundamentalprinciplesoftheRevolution3。TheDemocracyofthe``Intellectuals’’andPopularDemocracy4。NaturalInequalitiesandDemocraticEqualisationCHAPTERII。THERESULTSOFDEMOCRATICEVOLUTION
1。Theinfluenceuponsocialevolutionoftheoriesofnorationalvalue2。TheJacobinSpiritandtheMentalitycreatedbyDemocraticBeliefs3。UniversalSuffrageanditsrepresentatives4。ThecravingforReforms5。SocialdistinctionsinDemocraciesandDemocraticIdeasinvariouscountriesCHAPTERIII。THENEWFORMSOFDEMOCRATICBELIEF
1。TheconflictbetweenCapitalandLabour2。TheevolutionoftheWorkingClassesandtheSyndicalistMovement3。WhycertainmodernDemocraticGovernmentsaregraduallybeingtransformedintoGovernmentsbyAdministrativeCastesCONCLUSIONS
THEPSYCHOLOGYOFREVOLUTION
INTRODUCTION
THEREVISIONOFHISTORY
Thepresentageisnotmerelyanepochofdiscovery；itisalsoaperiodofrevisionofthevariouselementsofknowledge。Havingrecognisedthattherearenophenomenaofwhichthefirstcauseisstillaccessible，sciencehasresumedtheexaminationofherancientcertitudes，andhasprovedtheirfragility。To—daysheseesherancientprinciplesvanishingonebyone。Mechanicsislosingitsaxioms，andmatter，formerlytheeternalsubstratumoftheworlds，becomesasimpleaggregateofephemeralforcesintransitorycondensation。
Despiteitsconjecturalside，byvirtueofwhichittosomeextentescapestheseverestformofcriticism，historyhasnotbeenfreefromthisuniversalrevision。Thereisnolongerasingleoneofitsphasesofwhichwecansaythatitiscertainlyknown。Whatappearedtobedefinitelyacquiredisnowoncemoreputinquestion。
AmongtheeventswhosestudyseemedcompletedwastheFrenchRevolution。Analysedbyseveralgenerationsofwriters，onemightsupposeittobeperfectlyelucidated。Whatnewthingcanbesaidofit，exceptinmodificationofsomeofitsdetails？
Andyetitsmostpositivedefendersarebeginningtohesitateintheirjudgments。Ancientevidenceprovestobefarfromimpeccable。Thefaithindogmasonceheldsacredisshaken。ThelatestliteratureoftheRevolutionbetraystheseuncertainties。
Havingrelated，menaremoreandmorecharyofdrawingconclusions。
Notonlyaretheheroesofthisgreatdramadiscussedwithoutindulgence，butthinkersareaskingwhetherthenewdispensationwhichfollowedtheancienregimewouldnothaveestablisheditselfnaturally，withoutviolence，inthecourseofprogressivecivilisation。TheresultsobtainednolongerseemincorrespondenceeitherwiththeirimmediatecostorwiththeremoterconsequenceswhichtheRevolutionevokedfromthepossibilitiesofhistory。
Severalcauseshaveledtotherevisionofthistragicperiod。
Timehascalmedpassions，numerousdocumentshavegraduallyemergedfromthearchives，andthehistorianislearningtointerpretthemindependently。
Butitisperhapsmodernpsychologythathasmosteffectuallyinfluencedourideas，byenablingusmoresurelytoreadmenandthemotivesoftheirconduct。
Amongthoseofitsdiscoverieswhicharehenceforthapplicabletohistorywemustmention，aboveall，amoreprofoundunderstandingofancestralinfluences，thelawswhichruletheactionsofthecrowd，datarelatingtothedisaggregationofpersonality，mentalcontagion，theunconsciousformationofbeliefs，andthedistinctionbetweenthevariousformsoflogic。
Totellthetruth，theseapplicationsofscience，whichareutilisedinthisbook，havenotbeensoutilisedhitherto。
Historianshavegenerallystoppedshortatthestudyofdocuments，andeventhatstudyissufficienttoexcitethedoubtsofwhichIhavespoken。
Thegreateventswhichshapethedestiniesofpeoples——
revolutions，forexample，andtheoutbreakofreligiousbeliefs——
aresometimessodifficulttoexplainthatonemustlimitoneselftoamerestatement。
FromthetimeofmyfirsthistoricalresearchesIhavebeenstruckbytheimpenetrableaspectofcertainessentialphenomena，thoserelatingtothegenesisofbeliefsespecially；Ifeltconvincedthatsomethingfundamentalwaslackingthatwasessentialtotheirinterpretation。Reasonhavingsaidallitcouldsay，nothingmorecouldbeexpectedofit，andothermeansmustbesoughtofcomprehendingwhathadnotbeenelucidated。
Foralongtimetheseimportantquestionsremainedobscuretome。
Extendedtravel，devotedtothestudyoftheremnantsofvanishedcivilisations，hadnotdonemuchtothrowlightuponthem。
Reflectinguponitcontinually，Iwasforcedtorecognisethattheproblemwascomposedofaseriesofotherproblems，whichI
shouldhavetostudyseparately。ThisIdidforaperiodoftwentyyears，presentingtheresultsofmyresearchesinasuccessionofvolumes。
Oneofthefirstwasdevotedtothestudyofthepsychologicallawsoftheevolutionofpeoples。Havingshownthatthehistoricraces——thatis，theracesformedbythehazardsofhistory——finallyacquiredpsychologicalcharacteristicsasstableastheiranatomicalcharacteristics，Iattemptedtoexplainhowapeopletransformsitsinstitutions，itslanguages，anditsarts。
Iexplainedinthesameworkwhyitwasthatindividualpersonalities，undertheinfluenceofsuddenvariationsofenvironment，mightbeentirelydisaggregated。
Butbesidesthefixedcollectivitiesformedbythepeoples，therearemobileandtransitorycollectivitiesknownascrowds。Nowthesecrowdsormobs，bytheaidofwhichthegreatmovementsofhistoryareaccomplished，havecharacteristicsabsolutelydifferentfromthoseoftheindividualswhocomposethem。Whatarethesecharacteristics，andhowaretheyevolved？ThisnewproblemwasexaminedinThePsychologyoftheCrowd。
OnlyafterthesestudiesdidIbegintoperceivecertaininfluenceswhichhadescapedme。
Butthiswasnotall。Amongthemostimportantfactorsofhistoryonewaspreponderant——thefactorofbeliefs。Howarethesebeliefsborn，andaretheyreallyrationalandvoluntary，aswaslongtaught？Aretheynotratherunconsciousandindependentofallreason？Adifficultquestion，whichIdealtwithinmylastbook，OpinionsandBeliefs。
Solongaspsychologyregardsbeliefsasvoluntaryandrationaltheywillremaininexplicable。Havingprovedthattheyareusuallyirrationalandalwaysinvoluntary，Iwasabletopropoundthesolutionofthisimportantproblem；howitwasthatbeliefswhichnoreasoncouldjustifywereadmittedwithoutdifficultybythemostenlightenedspiritsofallages。
Thesolutionofthehistoricaldifficultieswhichhadsolongbeensoughtwasthenceforthobvious。Iarrivedattheconclusionthatbesidetherationallogicwhichconditionsthought，andwasformerlyregardedasoursoleguide，thereexistverydifferentformsoflogic：affectivelogic，collectivelogic，andmysticlogic，whichusuallyoverrulethereasonandengenderthegenerativeimpulsesofourconduct。
Thisfactwellestablished，itseemedtomeevidentthatifagreatnumberofhistoricaleventsareoftenuncomprehended，itisbecauseweseektointerprettheminthelightofalogicwhichinrealityhasverylittleinfluenceupontheirgenesis。
Alltheseresearches，whichareheresummedupinafewlines，demandedlongyearsfortheiraccomplishment。Despairingofcompletingthem，Iabandonedthemmorethanoncetoreturntothoselaboursofthelaboratoryinwhichoneisalwayssureofskirtingthetruthandofacquiringfragmentsatleastofcertitude。
Butwhileitisveryinterestingtoexploretheworldofmaterialphenomena，itisstillmoresotodeciphermen，forwhichreasonIhavealwaysbeenledbacktopsychology。
Certainprinciplesdeducedfrommyresearchesappearinglikelytoprovefruitful，Iresolvedtoapplythemtothestudyofconcreteinstances，andwasthusledtodealwiththePsychologyofRevolutions——notablythatoftheFrenchRevolution。
ProceedingintheanalysisofourgreatRevolution，thegreaterpartoftheopinionsdeterminedbythereadingofbooksdesertedmeonebyone，althoughIhadconsideredthemunshakable。
Toexplainthisperiodwemustconsideritasawhole，asmanyhistorianshavedone。Itiscomposedofphenomenasimultaneousbutindependentofoneanother。
Eachofitsphasesrevealseventsengenderedbypsychologicallawsworkingwiththeregularityofclockwork。Theactorsinthisgreatdramaseemtomovelikethecharactersofapreviouslydetermineddrama。Eachsayswhathemustsay，actsasheisboundtoact。
Tobesure，theactorsintherevolutionarydramadifferedfromthoseofawrittendramainthattheyhadnotstudiedtheirparts，buttheseweredictatedbyinvisibleforces。
Preciselybecausetheyweresubjectedtotheinevitableprogressionoflogicsincomprehensibletothemweseethemasgreatlyastonishedbytheeventsofwhichtheyweretheheroesasareweourselves。Neverdidtheysuspecttheinvisiblepowerswhichforcedthemtoact。Theywerethemastersneitheroftheirfurynortheirweakness。Theyspokeinthenameofreason，pretendingtobeguidedbyreason，butinrealityitwasbynomeansreasonthatimpelledthem。
``Thedecisionsforwhichwearesogreatlyreproached，’’wroteBillaud—Varenne，``weremoreoftenthanotherwisenotintendedordesiredbyustwodaysorevenonedaybeforehand：thecrisisaloneevokedthem。’’
NotthatwemustconsidertheeventsoftheRevolutionasdominatedbyanimperiousfatality。Thereadersofourworkswillknowthatwerecogniseinthemanofsuperiorqualitiestheroleofavertingfatalities。Buthecandissociatehimselfonlyfromafewofsuch，andisoftenpowerlessbeforethesequenceofeventswhichevenattheirorigincouldscarcelyberuled。Thescientistknowshowtodestroythemicrobebeforeithastimetoact，butheknowshimselfpowerlesstopreventtheevolutionoftheresultingmalady。
Whenanyquestiongivesrisetoviolentlycontradictoryopinionswemaybesurethatitbelongstotheprovinceofbeliefsandnottothatofknowledge。
Wehaveshowninaprecedingworkthatbelief，ofunconsciousoriginandindependentofallreason，canneverbeinfluencedbyreason。
TheRevolution，theworkofbelievers，hasseldombeenjudgedbyanybutbelievers。Execratedbysomeandpraisedbyothers，ithasremainedoneofthosedogmaswhichareacceptedorrejectedasawhole，withouttheinterventionofrationallogic。
Althoughinitsbeginningsareligiousorpoliticalrevolutionmayverywellbesupportedbyrationalelements，itisdevelopedonlybytheaidofmysticandaffectiveelementswhichareabsolutelyforeigntoreason。
ThehistorianswhohavejudgedtheeventsoftheFrenchRevolutioninthenameofrationallogiccouldnotcomprehendthem，sincethisformoflogicdidnotdictatethem。Astheactorsoftheseeventsthemselvesunderstoodthembutill，weshallnotbefarfromthetruthinsayingthatourRevolutionwasaphenomenonequallymisunderstoodbythosewhocauseditandbythosewhohavedescribedit。Atnoperiodofhistorydidmensolittlegraspthepresent，sogreatlyignorethepast，andsopoorlydivinethefuture……ThepoweroftheRevolutiondidnotresideintheprinciples——whichforthatmatterwereanythingbutnovel——whichitsoughttopropagate，norintheinstitutionswhichitsoughttofound。Thepeoplecaresverylittleforinstitutionsandevenlessfordoctrines。ThattheRevolutionwaspotentindeed，thatitmadeFranceaccepttheviolence，themurders，theruinandthehorrorofafrightfulcivilwar，thatfinallyitdefendeditselfvictoriouslyagainstaEuropeinarms，wasduetothefactthatithadfoundednotanewsystemofgovernmentbutanewreligion。
Nowhistoryshowsushowirresistibleisthemightofastrongbelief。InvincibleRomeherselfhadtobowbeforethearmiesofnomadshepherdsilluminatedbythefaithofMahommed。ForthesamereasonthekingsofEuropecouldnotresistthetatterdemalionsoldiersoftheConvention。Likeallapostles，theywerereadytoimmolatethemselvesinthesoleendofpropagatingtheirbeliefs，whichaccordingtotheirdreamweretorenewtheworld。
Thereligionthusfoundedhadtheforceofotherreligions，ifnottheirduration。Yetitdidnotperishwithoutleavingindelibletraces，anditsinfluenceisactivestill。
WeshallnotconsidertheRevolutionasacleansweepinhistory，asitsapostlesbelievedit。Weknowthattodemonstratetheirintentionofcreatingaworlddistinctfromtheoldtheyinitiatedaneweraandprofessedtobreakentirelywithallvestigesofthepast。
Butthepastneverdies。Itisevenmoretrulywithinusthanwithoutus。AgainsttheirwillthereformersoftheRevolutionremainedsaturatedwiththepast，andcouldonlycontinue，underothernames，thetraditionsofthemonarchy，evenexaggeratingtheautocracyandcentralisationoftheoldsystem。TocquevillehadnodifficultyinprovingthattheRevolutiondidlittlebutoverturnthatwhichwasabouttofall。
IfinrealitytheRevolutiondestroyedbutlittleitfavouredthefruitionofcertainideaswhichcontinuedthenceforthtodevelop。
Thefraternityandlibertywhichitproclaimednevergreatlyseducedthepeoples，butequalitybecametheirgospel：thepivotofsocialismandoftheentireevolutionofmoderndemocraticideas。WemaythereforesaythattheRevolutiondidnotendwiththeadventoftheEmpire，norwiththesuccessiverestorationswhichfollowedit。Secretlyorinthelightofdayithasslowlyunrolleditselfandstillaffectsmen’sminds。
ThestudyoftheFrenchRevolutiontowhichagreatpartofthisbookisdevotedwillperhapsdeprivethereaderofmorethanoneillusion，byprovingtohimthatthebookswhichrecountthehistoryoftheRevolutioncontaininrealityamassoflegendsveryremotefromreality。
Theselegendswilldoubtlessretainmorelifethanhistoryitself。Donotregretthistoogreatly。Itmayinterestafewphilosopherstoknowthetruth，butthepeopleswillalwayspreferdreams。Synthetisingtheirideal，suchdreamswillalwaysconstitutepowerfulmotivesofaction。Onewouldlosecouragewereitnotsustainedbyfalseideas，saidFontenelle。JoanofArc，theGiantsoftheConvention，theImperialepic——allthesedazzlingimagesofthepastwillalwaysremainsourcesofhopeinthegloomyhoursthatfollowdefeat。Theyformpartofthatpatrimonyofillusionsleftusbyourfathers，whosepowerisoftengreaterthanthatofreality。Thedream，theideal，thelegend——inaword，theunreal——itisthatwhichshapeshistory。
PARTI
THEPSYCHOLOGICALELEMENTSOFREVOLUTIONARYMOVEMENTS
BOOKI
GENERALCHARACTERISTICSOFREVOLUTIONS
CHAPTERI
SCIENTIFICANDPOLITICALREVOLUTIONS
1。ClassificationofRevolutions。
Wegenerallyapplythetermrevolutiontosuddenpoliticalchanges，buttheexpressionmaybeemployedtodenoteallsuddentransformations，ortransformationsapparentlysudden，whetherofbeliefs，ideas，ordoctrines。
Wehaveconsideredelsewherethepartplayedbytherational，affective，andmysticfactorsinthegenesisoftheopinionsandbeliefswhichdetermineconduct。Weneednotthereforereturntothesubjecthere。
Arevolutionmayfinallybecomeabelief，butitoftencommencesundertheactionofperfectlyrationalmotives：thesuppressionofcryingabuses，ofadetesteddespoticgovernment，oranunpopularsovereign，&c。
Althoughtheoriginofarevolutionmaybeperfectlyrational，wemustnotforgetthatthereasonsinvokedinpreparingforitdonotinfluencethecrowduntiltheyhavebeentransformedintosentiments。Rationallogiccanpointtotheabusestobedestroyed，buttomovethemultitudeitshopesmustbeawakened。
Thiscanonlybeeffectedbytheactionoftheaffectiveandmysticelementswhichgivemanthepowertoact。AtthetimeoftheFrenchRevolution，forexample，rationallogic，inthehandsofthephilosophers，demonstratedtheinconveniencesoftheancienregime，andexcitedthedesiretochangeit。Mysticlogicinspiredbeliefinthevirtuesofasocietycreatedinallitsmembersaccordingtocertainprinciples。Affectivelogicunchainedthepassionsconfinedbythebondsofagesandledtotheworstexcesses。CollectivelogicruledtheclubsandtheAssembliesandimpelledtheirmemberstoactionswhichneitherrationalnoraffectivenormysticlogicwouldeverhavecausedthemtocommit。
Whateveritsorigin，arevolutionisnotproductiveofresultsuntilithassunkintothesoulofthemultitude。Theneventsacquirespecialformsresultingfromthepeculiarpsychologyofcrowds。Popularmovementsforthisreasonhavecharacteristicssopronouncedthatthedescriptionofonewillenableustocomprehendtheothers。
Themultitudeis，therefore，theagentofarevolution；butnotitspointofdeparture。Thecrowdrepresentsanamorphousbeingwhichcandonothing，andwillnothing，withoutaheadtoleadit。Itwillquicklyexceedtheimpulseoncereceived，butitnevercreatesit。