Psychology of Crowds

Gustave le Bon was an eminent psychologist and sociologist. In Psychology of Crowds, he explores theories of national traits and behaviour as opposed to the behaviour of individuals.The ideas Le Bon explores in Psychology of Crowds are extremely relevant to to-day's society and were of pivotal importance in the early years of group psychology: Sigmund Freud's Massenpsychologie und Ich-Analyse (1921; English translation Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego, 1922) was based on Le Bon's work.Gustave Le Bon was born in Nogent-le-Rotrou on 7th May, 1841. He died in Marnes-la-Coquette on 13th December 1931.

Note to the Sparkling Books editionLa Psychologie des foules was first published in 1895 and translated anonymously into English, possibly by a group of students. A revised French edition, edited by Flix Alcan, was published in 1905 as Psychologie des foules by Ancienne Libraire Germer Baillire & Cie. We have corrected some grammar errors and anomalies in the original translation by reference to the Alcan edition. We have shortened a few passages but maintained the original footnotes with some additional footnotes of our own. We have also used the full title Psychology of Crowds rather than the abbreviation The Crowd used in earlier versions. The Editors.