The Psychology of Revolution

"The Psychology of Revolution" by Gustave Le Bon is a late 19th-century exploration of the psychological forces behind revolutionary movements. Focusing on the French Revolution, the publication searches for how beliefs, emotions, and collective behavior shape these massive societal shifts. The book begins by explaining that traditional historical interpretations do not fully reflect the new psychological understandings of the time. Le Bon argues that revolutions stem from psychological principles within both the group and individual consciousness, rather than just political or societal causes. He leads the reader on a journey to understand how belief systems, mass movements, and violence combine to make and remake societies during revolutions.