《乌合之众·第三编·不同群体的分类与描述·议会集会》第15节
Fortunately all the characteristics just described as to be met with in parliamentary assemblies are in no wise constantly displayed. Such assemblies only constitute crowds at certain moments. The individuals composing them retain their individuality in a great number of cases, which explains how it is that an assembly is able to turn out excellent technical laws. It is true that the author of these laws is a specialist who has prepared them in the quiet of his study, and that in reality the law voted is the work of an individual and not of an assembly. These laws are naturally the best. They are only liable to have disastrous results when a series of amendments has converted them into the outcome of a collective effort. The work of a crowd is always inferior, whatever its nature, to that of an isolated individual. It is specialists who safeguard assemblies from passing ill-advised or unworkable measures. The specialist in this case is a temporary leader of crowds. The Assembly is without influence on him, but he has influence over the Assembly. In spite of all the difficulties attending their working, parliamentary assemblies are the best form of government mankind has discovered as yet, and more especially the best means it has found to escape the yoke of personal tyrannies. They constitute assuredly the ideal government at any rate for philosophers, thinkers, writers, artists, and learned men--in a word, for all those who form the cream of a civilisation.
注释摘要
勒庞在这一段里做了一个重要的让步，这让他的整个议会分析不至于滑向彻底的虚无主义。他承认，前面描述的那种情绪极端、易受暗示、丧失理智的群体化状态，并非议会每时每刻都在发生。议会变成彻头彻尾的群氓，只在某些特定的危机时刻。在大量日常运作中，议员们仍然保留着个人的判断力和专业素养，因此议会能够产出质量优良的技术性法律。 但他立刻加了一个关键限定：这些好的法律，其…