《乌合之众·第三编·不同群体的分类与描述·选举群体》第11节
In consequence, were the electorate solely composed of persons stuffed with sciences their votes would be no better than those emitted at present. They would be guided in the main by their sentiments and by party spirit. We should be spared none of the difficulties we now have to contend with, and we should certainly be subjected to the oppressive tyranny of castes. Whether the suffrage of crowds be restricted or general, whether it be exercised under a republic or a monarchy, in France, in Belgium, in Greece, in Portugal, or in Spain, it is everywhere identical; and, when all is said and done, it is the expression of the unconscious aspirations and needs of the race. In each country the average opinions of those elected represent the genius of the race, and they will be found not to alter sensibly from one generation to another. It is seen, then, that we are confronted once more by the fundamental notion of race, which we have come across so often, and on this other notion, which is the outcome of the first, that institutions and governments play but a small part in the life of a people. Peoples are guided in the main by the genius of their race, that is, by that inherited residue of qualities of which the genius is the sum total. Race and the slavery of our daily necessities are the mysterious master-causes that rule our destiny.
注释摘要
勒庞在此铺设的是一个贯穿全书的根本推论，也是《乌合之众》在选举问题上的最终落脚点：无论制度怎么设计，也无论选民的受教育程度如何，群体行为的底层逻辑都不会改变。他断言，哪怕选民全都饱读科学，他们的投票依然会由情感与党同伐异的本能主导，而不是由理性推导而成。因为一旦聚集为群体，个体便丧失批判精神，趋于心智趋同，即便受过高度训练的人也难逃这种心理降级。他所列举的…