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e work in hand those mediocre qualities which are the birthright of every average individual。 In crowds it is stupidity and not mother…wit that is accumulated。 It is not all the world； as is so often repeated； that has more wit than Voltaire； but assuredly Voltaire that has more wit than all the world； if by 〃all the world〃 crowds are to be understood。
If the individuals of a crowd confined themselves to putting in common the ordinary qualities of which each of them has his share； there would merely result the striking of an average； and not； as we have said is actually the case； the creation of new characteristics。 How is it that these new characteristics are created？ This is what we are now to investigate。
Different causes determine the appearance of these characteristics peculiar to crowds； and not possessed by isolated individuals。 The first is that the individual forming part of a crowd acquires； solely from numerical considerations； a sentiment of invincible power which allows him to yield to instincts which； had he been alone； he would perforce have kept under restraint。 He will be the less disposed to check himself from the consideration that； a crowd being anonymous； and in consequence irresponsible； the sentiment of responsibility which always controls individuals disappears entirely。
The second cause； which is contagion； also intervenes to determine the manifestation in crowds of their special characteristics； and at the same time the trend they are to take。 Contagion is a phenomenon of which it is easy to establish the presence； but that it is not easy to explain。 It must be classed among those phenomena of a hypnotic order； which we shall shortly study。 In a crowd every sentiment and act is contagious； and contagious to such a degree that an individual readily sacrifices his personal interest to the collective interest。 This is an aptitude very contrary to his nature； and of which a man is scarcely capable； except when he makes part of a crowd。
A third cause； and by far the most important； determines in the individuals of a crowd special characteristics which are quite contrary at times to those presented by the isolated individual。 I allude to that suggestibility of which； moreover； the contagion mentioned above is neither more nor less than an effect。
To understand this phenomenon it is necessary to bear in mind certain recent physiological discoveries。 We know to…day that by various processes an individual may be brought into such a condition that； having entirely lost his conscious personality； he obeys all the suggestions of the operator who has deprived him of it； and commits acts in utter contradiction with his character and habits。 The most careful observations seem to prove that an individual immerged for some length of time in a crowd in action soon finds himselfeither in consequence of the magnetic influence given out by the crowd； or from some other cause of which we are ignorantin a special state； which much resembles the state of fascination in which the hypnotised individual finds himself in the hands of the hypnotiser。 The activity of the brain being paralysed in the case of the hypnotised subject； the latter becomes the slave of all the unconscious activities of his spinal cord； which the hypnotiser directs at will。 The conscious personality has entirely vanished； will and discernment are lost。 All feelings and thoughts are bent in the direction determined by the hypnotiser。
Such also is approximately the state of the individual forming part of a psychological crowd。 He is no longer conscious of his acts。 In his case； as in the case of the hypnotised subject； at the same time that certain faculties are destroyed； others may be brought to a high degree of exaltation。 Under the influence of a suggestion； he will undertake the accomplishment of certain acts with irresistible impetuosity。 This impetuosity is the more irresistible in the case of crowds than in that of the hypnotised subject； from the fact that； the suggestion being the same for all the individuals of the crowd； it gains in strength by reciprocity。 The individualities in the crowd who might possess a personality sufficiently strong to resist the suggestion are too few in number to struggle against the current。 At the utmost； they may be able to attempt a diversion by means of different suggestions。 It is in this way； for instance； that a happy expression； an image opportunely evoked； have occasionally deterred crowds from the most bloodthirsty acts。
We see； then； that the disappearance of the conscious personality； the predominance of the unconscious personality； the turning by means of suggestion and contagion of feelings and ideas in an identical direction； the tendency to immediately transform the suggested ideas into acts； these； we see； are the principal characteristics of the individual forming part of a crowd。 He is no longer himself； but has become an automaton who has ceased to be guided by his will。
Moreover； by the mere fact that he forms part of an organised crowd； a man descends several rungs in the ladder of civilisation。 Isolated； he may be a cultivated individual； in a crowd； he is a barbarianthat is； a creature acting by instinct。 He possesses the spontaneity； the violence； the ferocity； and also the enthusiasm and heroism of primitive beings； whom he further tends to resemble by the facility with which he allows himself to be impressed by words and imageswhich would be entirely without action on each of the isolated individuals composing the crowdand to be induced to commit acts contrary to his most obvious interests and his best…known habits。 An individual in a crowd is a grain of sand amid other grains of sand； which the wind stirs up at will。
It is for these reasons that juries are seen to deliver verdicts of which each individual juror would disapprove； that parliamentary assemblies adopt laws and measures of which each of their members would disapprove in his own person。 Taken separately； the men of the Convention were enlightened citizens of peaceful habits。 United in a crowd； they did not hesitate to give their adhesion to the most savage proposals； to guillotine individuals most clearly innocent； and； contrary to their interests； to renounce their inviolability and to decimate themselves。
It is not only by his acts that the individual in a crowd differs essentially from himself。 Even before he has entirely lost his independence； his ideas and feelings have undergone a transformation； and the transformation is so profound as to change the miser into a spendthrift； the sceptic into a believer； the honest man into a criminal； and the coward into a hero。 The renunciation of all its privileges which the nobility voted in a moment of enthusiasm during the celebrated night of August 4； 1789； would certainly never have been consented to by any of its members taken singly。
The conclusion to be drawn from what precedes is； that the crowd is always intellectually inferior to the isolated individual； but that； from the point of view of feelings and of the acts these feelings provoke； the crowd may； according to circumstances； he better or worse than the individual。 Al