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the psychology of revolution-第4章

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must not forget that the reasons invoked in preparing for it do

not influence the crowd until they have been transformed

into sentiments。  Rational logic can point to the abuses to be

destroyed; but to move the multitude its hopes must be awakened。 

This can only be effected by the action of the affective and

mystic elements which give man the power to act。  At the time of

the French Revolution; for example; rational logic; in the hands

of the philosophers; demonstrated the inconveniences of the

ancien regime; and excited the desire to change it。  Mystic

logic inspired belief in the virtues of a society created in all

its members according to certain principles。  Affective logic

unchained the passions confined by the bonds of ages and led to

the worst excesses。  Collective logic ruled the clubs and the

Assemblies and impelled their members to actions which neither

rational nor affective nor mystic logic would ever have caused

them to commit。



Whatever its origin; a revolution is not productive of results

until it has sunk into the soul of the multitude。  Then events

acquire special forms resulting from the peculiar psychology of

crowds。  Popular movements for this reason have characteristics

so pronounced that the description of one will enable us to

comprehend the others。



The multitude is; therefore; the agent of a revolution; but not

its point of departure。  The crowd represents an amorphous being

which can do nothing; and will nothing; without a head to lead

it。  It will quickly exceed the impulse once received; but it

never creates it。



The sudden political revolutions which strike the historian most

forcibly are often the least important。  The great revolutions

are those of manners and thought。  Changing the name of a

government does not transform the mentality of a people。  To

overthrow the institutions of a people is not to re…shape its

soul。



The true revolutions; those which transform the destinies of the

peoples; are most frequently accomplished so slowly that the

historians can hardly point to their beginnings。  The term

evolution is; therefore; far more appropriate than revolution。



The various elements we have enumerated as entering into the

genesis of the majority of revolutions will not suffice to

classify them。  Considering only the designed object; we will

divide them into scientific revolutions; political revolutions;

and religious revolutions。



2。  Scientific Revolutions。





Scientific revolutions are by far the most important。  Although

they attract but little attention; they are often fraught with

remote consequences; such as are not engendered by political

revolutions。  We will therefore put them first; although we

cannot study them here。



For instance; if our conceptions of the universe have profoundly

changed since the time of the Revolution; it is because

astronomical discoveries and the application of experimental

methods have revolutionised them; by demonstrating that

phenomena; instead of being conditioned by the caprices of the

gods; are ruled by invariable laws。



Such revolutions are fittingly spoken of as evolution; on account

of their slowness。  But there are others which; although of the

same order; deserve the name of revolution by reason of their

rapidity: we may instance the theories of Darwin;

overthrowing the whole science of biology in a few years; the

discoveries of Pasteur; which revolutionised medicine during the

lifetime of their author; and the theory of the dissociation of

matter; proving that the atom; formerly supposed to be eternal;

is not immune from the laws which condemn all the elements of the

universe to decline and perish。



These scientific revolutions in the domain of ideas are purely

intellectual。  Our sentiments and beliefs do not affect them。 

Men submit to them without discussing them。  Their results being

controllable by experience; they escape all criticism。





3。  Political Revolutions。





Beneath and very remote from these scientific revolutions; which

generate the progress of civilisations; are the religious and

political revolutions; which have no kinship with them。  While

scientific revolutions derive solely from rational elements;

political and religious beliefs are sustained almost exclusively

by affective and mystic factors。  Reason plays only a feeble part

in their genesis。



I insisted at some length in my book Opinions and Beliefs on

the affective and mystic origin of beliefs; showing that a

political or religious belief constitutes an act of faith

elaborated in unconsciousness; over which; in spite of all

appearances; reason has no hold。  I also showed that belief often

reaches such a degree of intensity that nothing can be opposed to

it。  The man hypnotised by his faith becomes an Apostle; ready to

sacrifice his interests; his happiness; and even his life for the

triumph of his faith。  The absurdity of his belief matters

little; for him it is a burning reality。  Certitudes of mystic

origin possess the marvellous power of entire domination over

thought; and can only be affected by time。



By the very fact that it is regarded as an absolute truth a

belief necessarily becomes intolerant。  This explains the

violence; hatred; and persecution which were the habitual

accompaniments of the great political and religious revolutions;

notably of the Reformation and the French Revolution。



Certain periods of French history remain incomprehensible if we

forget the affective and mystic origin of beliefs; their

necessary intolerance; the impossibility of reconciling them when

they come into mutual contact; and; finally; the power conferred

by mystic beliefs upon the sentiments which place themselves at

their service。



The foregoing conceptions are too novel as yet to have modified

the mentality of the historians。  They will continue to attempt

to explain; by means of rational logic; a host of phenomena which

are foreign to it。



Events such as the Reformation; which overwhelmed France for a

period of fifty years; were in no wise determined by rational

influences。  Yet rational influences are always invoked in

explanation; even in the most recent works。  Thus; in the

General History of Messrs。 Lavisse and Rambaud; we read the

following explanation of the Reformation:



‘‘It was a spontaneous movement; born here and there amidst the

people; from the reading of the Gospels and the free individual

reflections which were suggested to simple persons by an

extremely pious conscience and a very bold reasoning power。''



Contrary to the assertion of these historians; we may say with

certainty; in the first place; that such movements are never

spontaneous; and secondly; that reason takes no part in their

elaboration。



The force of the political and religious beliefs which have moved

the world resides precisely in the fact that; being born of

affective and mystic elements; they are neither created nor

directed by reason。



Political or religious beliefs have a common origin and obey the

same laws。  They are formed not with the aid of reason; but more

often contrary to all reason。  Buddhism; Islamism; the

Reformation; Jacobinism; Socialism; &c。; seem very different

forms of thought。  Yet they have identical affective and mystic

bases; and obey a logic that has no affinity with rational logic。



Political revolutions may result from beliefs established in the

minds of men; but many other causes produce them。  The word

discontent sums them up。  As soon as discontent is generalised a

party is formed which often becomes strong enough to struggle

against the Government。



Discontent must generally have been accumulating for a long time

in order to produce its effects。  For this reason a revolution

does not always represent a phenomenon in process of termination

followed by another which is commencing but rather a continuous


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