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The Crowd

Name: The Crowd
Author: Le Bon, Gustave, Bon Gustave
ISBN: 9781604594102

by Le Bon, Gustave, Bon Gustave

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Overview

Gustave LeBon's The Crowd is not only a classic, but one of the best-selling scientific books in social psychology and collective behavior ever written. Here, LeBon analyzes the nature of crowds and their role in political movements. He presents crowd behavior as a problem of science and power, a natural phenomenon with practical implications. Originally published in 1895, LeBon's book was the first to expand the scope of inquiry beyond criminal crowds to include all possible kinds of collective phenomena. Its continuing significance is evident even in the Los Angeles riots of 1992 in which LeBon's theories were cited in testimony. LeBon emphasizes the various areas of modern life where crowd behavior holds sway, particularly political upheavals. He focuses on electoral campaigns, parliaments, juries, labor agitation, and street demonstrations. At the same time, his treatment of crowds is far from complimentary. In a new introduction to this edition, Robert A. Nye presents a broad analytical understanding of the relationship between power and knowledge in crowd theory. He also discusses the historical circumstances and the various personalities who have shaped our understanding of crowds. Nye emphasizes The Crowd's continuing usefulness to cultural historians, psychologists, sociologists, and political scientists. He also places LeBon in a rich tradition of European social theory.

Synopsis

The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind is a brilliant treatise on the workings of crowds. Gustave Le Bon examines many different kinds of crowds and how they work. He differentiates between different kinds of crowds such as mobs, juries, elected bodies, and simple crowds. This landmark book is one of the most influential books ever written on this subject. An important book for anyone studying or working in the fields of sociology, law, and psychology.