Gustave Le Bon

These men are leaders who cannot exercise their function except on the condition that they be led themselves and continually stimulated, that they have always as their beacon a man or an idea, that they follow a line of conduct clearly traced.

What a strong and continuous will is capable of is not always properly appreciated.

crowd must be acted upon by rapid suggestion, among which example is the most powerful in its effect.

When, however, it is proposed to imbue the mind of a crowd with ideas and beliefs-with modern social theories, for instance-the leaders have recourse to different expedients. The principal of them are three in number and clearly defined-affirmation, repetition, and contagion. Their action is somewhat slow, but its effects, once produced, are very lasting.

The religious books and the legal codes of all ages have always resorted to simple affirmation.

The thing affirmed comes by repetition to fix itself in the mind in such a way that it is accepted in the end as a demonstrated truth.

Ideas, sentiments, emotions, and beliefs possess in crowds a contagious power as intense as that of microbes.

This phenomenon is very natural, since it is observed even in animals when they are together in number. Should a horse in a stable take to biting his manger the other horses in the stable will imitate him.

In the case of men collected in a crowd all emotions are very rapidly contagious, which explains the suddenness of panics.

The action of contagion may be felt from a distance under the influence of events which give all minds an individual trend and the characteristics peculiar to crowds.