Gustav Lebon, whose books are still of great interest to psychologists, sociologists, historians, etc., is considered the creator of social psychology. It was he who was able to describe as accurately as possible the behavior of the crowd and the reasons for the blind subordination of the masses to dictators. Despite the fact that most of his works were written in the 19th century, the 20th century has been impressively influenced by the results of his research. The most important direction in which Gustav Le Bon worked is psychology.
Education
Gustave Lebon was born in Nogent-le-Rotrou, France, into a noble family. Despite the high-profile title, the Lebon family lived very modestly, without luxury.
After graduating from classical school, Gustav entered the University of Paris at the Faculty of Medicine. His further education was associated with frequent movement between European, Asian and African educational institutions. Already while studying at the university, Lebon began to publish his articles, which were positively perceived by readers and aroused interest in the scientific community.
Contribution to the development of medicine
Lebon never engaged in medical practice, although his contribution to the development of medicine is highly appreciated, but he was carried out mainly through scientific publications. For example, based on the results of his research work, in the 60s of the nineteenth century, he wrote an article about diseases that occur in people living in damp areas.
Hobbies and the first attempts to understand the reasons for this or that behavior of people in various situations
Besides medicine, Lebon enjoyed studying anthropology, archeology and sociology. For some time he worked as a military doctor at the front. The goal was to be able to observe and explore how people behave in critical conditions. In the early 1870s, an interest in psychology awakened in him, which determined the further direction of his activity.
Most Important Works
The main theme that Gustav Lebon adhered to in his works is the philosophy of the crowd, its characteristics and motives. The most important and most popular work of Gustav Le Bon was the book "Psychology of Peoples and Masses".
Staying at the front and observing a large number of people gave the necessary basis for conclusions, and on the pages of this publication he managed to talk about how the motives of a particular human behavior are determined, and on the basis of these data he tried to explain the reasons a number of historical events. Later, the Psychology of the Crowd was also written, which won no less recognition, and then the Psychology of Socialism.
Influence on the course of history
Carrying out all these studies and clearly formulating conclusion after conclusion on the pages of his books, Le Bon did not suspect that his works would form the basis for the formation of the theory of fascist leadership. However, sadly, the "Psychology of the Crowd" became a kind of textbook for Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.
Gustav Lebon certainly did not expect that he would have such a significant impact on the course of history. Many of his conclusions were confirmed quite accurately, because the above dictators largely achieved their goals.
Unconscious instincts at the head of the crowd
Being in fact the father of social psychology, Le Bon first attempted to explain the onset of a period in the existence of mankind, when it is the masses that become especially important. He believed that being in a crowd leads to a decrease in a person's intellectual abilities, a sense of responsibility and criticality in relation to the situation. Instead, the reins of power are taken by unconscious instincts, which determine the complex, but sometimes primitive behavior of large masses of people.
Lebon believed that the least controlled peoples of the countries in which the largest number of mestizos are concentrated. Such states need a very strong ruler, otherwise unrest and anarchy cannot be avoided.
Interesting conclusions were also drawn about how mass religions were instilled. According to Le Bon, when a particular religion was planted, the people accepted it,but not completely, but only joining it to their old faith, that is, in fact, changing the name and content, adapting the innovation to the usual religion. Thus, those religions that "descended" to the masses underwent many changes in the process of adaptation among the people of one or another people.
Gustav Lebon: crowd and leader
A person who is among many others like him, as if descending the ladder of his development, easily abandons his principles, the conclusions that usually drive him when he is outside the crowd. He turns out to be prone to violence, excessive activity, which manifests itself both in a predisposition to arbitrariness and aggression, and in the manifestation of unprecedented enthusiasm in achieving goals. Often an individual in a crowd acts contrary to their own interests and beliefs.
In working with the crowd, it is most effective to use simple and clear images that do not carry anything superfluous. Unless they can be supported by some unusual, amazing fact, for example, something from the category of miraculous or phenomenal.
According to Lebon's theory, leaders are rarely among the people who think, reflect. More often than not, they are more inclined to act. It is extremely rare that they see the depth of the problem, because this weakens the will of the leader, leads to doubt and slowness. The leader is often unbalanced and impressionable, almost crazy. His idea, landmarks can be ridiculous, insane, but it is difficult to stop him on the way to achieving the goal. His negative attitude inspires, experiencedtorment is what brings true leader true satisfaction. Their belief in their own ideas, their point of view is so firm and unshakable that the power with which they influence the minds of others increases a hundredfold. Masses of people tend to listen to just such a person who manages to retain his will, strength and aspiration. People who find themselves in the crowd most often do not have them, so they unconsciously reach out to a stronger and more strong-willed person.
Leaders, according to Lebon's theory, are categorical and resolute in exercising power. Thanks to this decisiveness, as well as a comprehensive uncompromisingness, they manage to force even the most obstinate and recalcitrant people to do their will, even if this is contrary to the true interests of man. The leaders make changes to the existing order of affairs, force the majority to agree with their decisions and obey them.
Whoever the crowd consists of, it tends to be in submission. The manifestation of power is alien to her, she is too weak for this, which is why she completely submits to the decisive leader, rejoicing at the opportunity to be in a position of obedience.
Education and erudition rarely keep pace with the qualities of a real leader, but if they are, then most likely they will bring misfortune to their owner. Being smart, a person inevitably becomes softer, because he has the opportunity to look deep into the situation, understand certain aspects of people subordinate to him and involuntarily loosen his grip, shake his power. That is why most leaders at all times,as Gustav Lebon believed, they were very narrow-minded people, moreover, the more limited a person was, the greater his influence on the crowd.
That was Gustav Lebon's point of view. It was these thoughts that formed the basis of two fundamental books that became textbooks for the most cruel dictators of the twentieth century. Of course, the scientist himself did not expect that his works would have such admirers and followers.
Gustave Lebon died at the age of 90 in 1931, at his home near Paris.
