Revision:Le Bon's Theories on the Crowd

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Le Bon developed his theory on crowds in France during the 1890's - a period of social turmoil and unrest. He had experienced the Paris Commune of 1871 and had read accounts of the 1848 revolutions. The Crowd was published in 1895.

Le Bon believed that

"by the mere fact that he forms part of an organised crowd, a man descends several rungs in the ladder of civilization. Isolated, he may be a cultivated individual; in a crowd he is a barbarian - that is, a creature acting by instinct."

Contagion

Le Bon thought that crowds were influenced by a process called contagion. Contagion refers to the process whereby irrational and violent feelings can spread through the members of a crowd.

Other Aspects of Le Bon's Theory

Le Bon states that crowds are primitive and irrational. Because the individual member's of the crowd become submerged within the mass present, they develop a sense of anonymity whilst they lose their sense of responsibility. Within this context, primordial instincts come to the fore. Crowds are inherently susceptible to suggestion, and thus it is easy for the leader of a crowd to unlock what Le Bon called "ancestral savagery", and have the crowd act in violent ways.

Criticisms of Le Bon

There are many criticisms of Le Bon. In many ways, Le Bon was a child of his time. His fear of socialism manifested itself in his theory of the crowd. He tends to exaggerate the violence and irrationality of the crowd. Perhaps this is as a result of the media - peaceful, orderly marches do not makes as good copy as violent maelstroms of anger.

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