The Psychology of Revolution

An examination of the mental forces behind uprisings, the author classifies revolutions into scientific, political, and religious types and considers their differing aims and outcomes. He analyzes how individual personalities change in turmoil and identifies recurring mentalities—mystic, Jacobin, revolutionary, and criminal—that shape action. He explores crowd psychology, the contagion of sentiment, the role of leaders and assemblies, and the limited capacity of governments to resist or to steer change. A later section applies these principles to the origins and course of the French Revolution, showing how army neutrality, social conservatism, and institutional failures influence revolutionary success or failure.