Crowds and Power: Summary Review
This is a summary review of Crowds and Power containing key details about the book.
What is Crowds and Power About?
"Crowds and Power" is a book written by Elias Canetti, a Nobel Prize-winning author and sociologist.
Crowds and Power deals with the dynamics of crowds and "packs" and the question of how and why crowds obey the power of rulers. The author draws a parallel between ruling and paranoia.
Summary Points & Takeaways from Crowds and Power
Some key summary points and takeaways from the book include:
* Canetti argues that crowds are a powerful force in human society, and that they have a profound effect on individuals and the world at large.
* He explains that crowds have their own unique characteristics and dynamics, and that they can be differentiated from other social groups based on factors such as size, movement, and the way in which power is distributed.
* Canetti describes the different types of crowds, including mass crowds, which are large and anonymous, and leader crowds, which are more organized and directed.
* He argues that the behavior of crowds is influenced by the distribution of power within them, and that the psychology of individuals is transformed by the experience of being in a crowd.
* The book explores the relationship between crowds and power, and argues that crowds can be both a source of power and a threat to power, depending on the situation.
* Canetti also examines the role of crowds in historical events and movements, such as revolutions and wars, and the ways in which they have shaped the course of human history.
* Overall, "Crowds and Power" is a seminal work of sociological and philosophical inquiry, offering a unique perspective on the nature and power of crowds.
Who is the author of Crowds and Power?
Elias Canetti was a German-language writer, born in Ruse, Bulgaria to a Sephardic family. They moved to Manchester, England, but his father died in 1912, and his mother took her three sons back to continental Europe.
Book details
- Print length: 495 pages
- Genre: Nonfiction, Philosophy
What is a good quote from Crowds and Power?
Top Quote: “It is only in a crowd that man can become free of this fear of being touched. That is the only situation in which the fear changes into its opposite. The crowd he needs is the dense crowd, in which body is pressed to body; a crowd, too, whose psychical constitution is also dense, or compact, so that he no longer notices who it is that presses against him. As soon as a man has surrendered himself to the crowd, he ceases to fear its touch. Ideally, all are equal there; no distinctions count. Not even that of sex. The man pressed against him is the same as himself He feels him as he feels himself. Suddenly it is as though everything were happening in one and the same body." (Meaning) Crowds and Power Quotes, Elias Canetti
What do critics say?
Here's what one of the prominent reviewers had to say about the book: “Canetti dissolves politics into pathology, treating society as a mental activity--a barbaric one, of course--that must be decoded.” — Susan Sontag
* The editor of this summary review made every effort to maintain information accuracy, including any published quotes, chapters, or takeaways. If you're interested in enhancing your personal growth, I suggest checking out my list of favorite self-development books. These books have been instrumental in my own personal development and I'm confident they can help you too.
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an author, founder, and impact-driven entrepreneur at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own daring design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 major life goals around the globe. His journey and most recent book, The Art of Fully Living, has led him to found Elevate Society.
