Gustave Le Bon

Neither the name given to opinions nor deceptive adaptations alter the essence of things.

to identify amid the moving flux of opinions the part determined by general beliefs

The only important classification to be made of heterogeneous crowds, apart from that based on racial considerations, is to separate them into anonymous crowds, such as street crowds, and crowds not anonymous-deliberative assemblies and juries, for example. The sentiment of responsibility absent from crowds of the first description and developed in those of the second often gives a very different tendency to their respective acts

The usual motive of the crimes of crowds is a powerful suggestion, and the individuals who take part in such crimes are afterwards convinced that they have acted in obedience to duty, which is far from being the case with the ordinary criminal.

We have obedience to a suggestion, which is all the stronger because of its collective origin, and the murderer’s conviction that he has committed a very meritorious act, a conviction the more natural seeing that he enjoys the unanimous approval of his fellow-citizens.

Without pity for crimes of which it appears possible they might themselves be the victims-such crimes, moreover, are the most dangerous for society-juries, on the contrary, are very indulgent in the case of breaches of the law whose motive is passion.

in a country in which the law does not protect deserted girls the crime of the girl who avenges herself is rather useful than harmful, inasmuch as it frightens future seducers in advance.

Rather than not avenge it they prefer to create a dangerous, confirmed criminal.

speech prepared in advance has so slight an effect, it being necessary to be able to modify the terms employed from moment to moment in accordance with the impression produced.

power of crowds is to be dreaded, but the power of certain castes is to be dreaded yet more. Crowds are open to conviction; castes never are.