《乌合之众·第三编·不同群体的分类与描述·选举群体》第8节
[26] Committees under whatever name, clubs, syndicates, &c., constitute perhaps the most redoubtable danger resulting from the power of crowds. They represent in reality the most impersonal and, in consequence, the most oppressive form of tyranny. The leaders who direct the committees being supposed to speak and act in the name of a collectivity, are freed from all responsibility, and are in a position to do just as they choose. The most savage tyrant has never ventured even to dream of such proscriptions as those ordained by the committees of the Revolution. Barras has declared that they decimated the convention, picking off its members at their pleasure. So long as he was able to speak in their name, Robespierre wielded absolute power. The moment this frightful dictator separated himself from them, for reasons of personal pride, he was lost. The reign of crowds is the reign of committees, that is, of the leaders of crowds. A severer despotism cannot be imagined. To exert an influence over them is not difficult, provided the candidate be in himself acceptable and possess adequate financial resources. According to the admissions of the donors, three millions of francs sufficed to secure the repeated elections of General Boulanger.
注释摘要
这段注释是勒庞全书中最为激进的论断之一，他将委员会和俱乐部视为群体权力运作的终极形态，并认为这种形态比传统专制更为可怖。其论证的核心在于一个悖论：当一个团体以集体的名义行事时，实际上没有任何人为此负责。勒庞的逻辑是，领导者可以声称自己仅仅是群体意志的代言人，从而在道德和法律上完全豁免个人责任——他认为这恰好为最肆无忌惮的专制扫清了道路，因为传统的暴君尚须独…