the crowd-第41章

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d。　　Still　experience　shows　that　the　power　of　such　gods　was　never　either　very　durable　or　very　strong。

This　progressive　restriction　of　all　liberties　in　the　case　of　certain　peoples；　in　spite　of　an　outward　license　that　gives　them　the　illusion　that　these　liberties　are　still　in　their　possession；　seems　at　least　as　much　a　consequence　of　their　old　age　as　of　any　particular　system。　　It　constitutes　one　of　the　precursory　symptoms　of　that　decadent　phase　which　up　to　now　no　civilisation　has　escaped。

Judging　by　the　lessons　of　the　past；　and　by　the　symptoms　that　strike　the　attention　on　every　side；　several　of　our　modern　civilisations　have　reached　that　phase　of　extreme　old　age　which　precedes　decadence。　　It　seems　inevitable　that　all　peoples　should　pass　through　identical　phases　of　existence；　since　history　is　so　often　seen　to　repeat　its　course。

It　is　easy　to　note　briefly　these　common　phases　of　the　evolution　of　civilisations；　and　I　shall　terminate　this　work　with　a　summary　of　them。　　This　rapid　sketch　will　perhaps　throw　some　gleams　of　light　on　the　causes　of　the　power　at　present　wielded　by　crowds。

If　we　examine　in　their　main　lines　the　genesis　of　the　greatness　and　of　the　fall　of　the　civilisations　that　preceded　our　own；　what　do　we　see？

At　the　dawn　of　civilisation　a　swarm　of　men　of　various　origin；　brought　together　by　the　chances　of　migrations；　invasions；　and　conquests。　　Of　different　blood；　and　of　equally　different　languages　and　beliefs；　the　only　common　bond　of　union　between　these　men　is　the　half…recognised　law　of　a　chief。　　The　psychological　characteristics　of　crowds　are　present　in　an　eminent　degree　in　these　confused　agglomerations。　　They　have　the　transient　cohesion　of　crowds；　their　heroism；　their　weaknesses；　their　impulsiveness；　and　their　violence。　　Nothing　is　stable　in　connection　with　them。　　They　are　barbarians。

At　length　time　accomplishes　its　work。　　The　identity　of　surroundings；　the　repeated　intermingling　of　races；　the　necessities　of　life　in　common　exert　their　influence。　　The　assemblage　of　dissimilar　units　begins　to　blend　into　a　whole；　to　form　a　race；　that　is；　an　aggregate　possessing　common　characteristics　and　sentiments　to　which　heredity　will　give　greater　and　greater　fixity。　　The　crowd　has　become　a　people；　and　this　people　is　able　to　emerge　from　its　barbarous　state。　　However；　it　will　only　entirely　emerge　therefrom　when；　after　long　efforts；　struggles　necessarily　repeated；　and　innumerable　recommencements；　it　shall　have　acquired　an　ideal。　　The　nature　of　this　ideal　is　of　slight　importance；　whether　it　be　the　cult　of　Rome；　the　might　of　Athens；　or　the　triumph　of　Allah；　it　will　suffice　to　endow　all　the　individuals　of　the　race　that　is　forming　with　perfect　unity　of　sentiment　and　thought。

At　this　stage　a　new　civilisation；　with　its　institutions；　its　beliefs；　and　its　arts；　may　be　born。　　In　pursuit　of　its　ideal；　the　race　will　acquire　in　succession　the　qualities　necessary　to　give　it　splendour；　vigour；　and　grandeur。　　At　times　no　doubt　it　will　still　be　a　crowd；　but　henceforth；　beneath　the　mobile　and　changing　characteristics　of　crowds；　is　found　a　solid　substratum；　the　genius　of　the　race　which　confines　within　narrow　limits　the　transformations　of　a　nation　and　overrules　the　play　of　chance。

After　having　exerted　its　creative　action；　time　begins　that　work　of　destruction　from　which　neither　gods　nor　men　escape。　　Having　reached　a　certain　level　of　strength　and　complexity　a　civilisation　ceases　to　grow；　and　having　ceased　to　grow　it　is　condemned　to　a　speedy　decline。　　The　hour　of　its　old　age　has　struck。

This　inevitable　hour　is　always　marked　by　the　weakening　of　the　ideal　that　was　the　mainstay　of　the　race。　　In　proportion　as　this　ideal　pales　all　the　religious；　political；　and　social　structures　inspired　by　it　begin　to　be　shaken。

With　the　progressive　perishing　of　its　ideal　the　race　loses　more　and　more　the　qualities　that　lent　it　its　cohesion；　its　unity；　and　its　strength。　　The　personality　and　intelligence　of　the　individual　may　increase；　but　at　the　same　time　this　collective　egoism　of　the　race　is　replaced　by　an　excessive　development　of　the　egoism　of　the　individual；　accompanied　by　a　weakening　of　character　and　a　lessening　of　the　capacity　for　action。　　What　constituted　a　people；　a　unity；　a　whole；　becomes　in　the　end　an　agglomeration　of　individualities　lacking　cohesion；　and　artificially　held　together　for　a　time　by　its　traditions　and　institutions。　　It　is　at　this　stage　that　men；　divided　by　their　interests　and　aspirations；　and　incapable　any　longer　of　self…government；　require　directing　in　their　pettiest　acts；　and　that　the　State　exerts　an　absorbing　influence。

With　the　definite　loss　of　its　old　ideal　the　genius　of　the　race　entirely　disappears；　it　is　a　mere　swarm　of　isolated　individuals　and　returns　to　its　original　statethat　of　a　crowd。　　Without　consistency　and　without　a　future；　it　has　all　the　transitory　characteristics　of　crowds。　　Its　civilisation　is　now　without　stability；　and　at　the　mercy　of　every　chance。　　The　populace　is　sovereign；　and　the　tide　of　barbarism　mounts。　　The　civilisation　may　still　seem　brilliant　because　it　possesses　an　outward　front；　the　work　of　a　long　past；　but　it　is　in　reality　an　edifice　crumbling　to　ruin；　which　nothing　supports；　and　destined　to　fall　in　at　the　first　storm。

To　pass　in　pursuit　of　an　ideal　from　the　barbarous　to　the　civilised　state；　and　then；　when　this　ideal　has　lost　its　virtue；　to　decline　and　die；　such　is　the　cycle　of　the　life　of　a　people。





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