# Fixed Beliefs explained — The Crowd

> Chapter companion for The Crowd by Gustave Le Bon.

## What happens

This chapter examines the distinction between permanent, foundational beliefs that shape civilizations and transient, superficial opinions. It argues that great general beliefs are rare, difficult to establish, and even harder to uproot, often requiring violent revolutions to be displaced. Such beliefs, though philosophically absurd, exert an invincible tyranny over minds, inspiring institutions, arts, and customs. The chapter concludes that socialist beliefs, while currently gaining strength, will lose prestige once their earthly promises fail, unlike religious beliefs that deferred happiness to an afterlife.

## Themes in this chapter

### Power of Beliefs and Ideas

The chapter argues that general beliefs are the indispensable pillars of civilization, shaping institutions, arts, and customs, and exerting an invincible tyranny over minds.

### Social Change and Revolution

Discusses how revolutions only succeed when a belief has already lost its hold, and how the end of a belief marks the beginning of revolution.

### Irrationality and Credulity

Highlights that the philosophic absurdity of a belief does not hinder its triumph, and that crowds accept even barbarous legends for centuries.

## Character check-ins

### Tiberius

Cited as a redoubtable tyrant, but contrasted with the deeper despotism of founders of beliefs like Moses, Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad.

### Ghengis Khan

Mentioned alongside Tiberius and Napoleon as a tyrant whose power is less profound than that of enduring beliefs.

### Napoleon

Listed as a tyrant whose influence is overshadowed by the lasting despotism of religious founders.

### Moses

Included among the founders of beliefs who exert a profound despotism from the grave.

### Buddha

Included among the founders of beliefs who exert a profound despotism from the grave.

### Jesus

Included among the founders of beliefs who exert a profound despotism from the grave.

### Muhammad

Included among the founders of beliefs who exert a profound despotism from the grave.

## Key lines

> The beginning of a revolution is in reality the end of a belief.

Revolutions occur only when a belief has already lost its power over people's minds.

_Summarizes the chapter's view on the relationship between belief and revolution._

> The only real tyrants that humanity has known have always been the memories of its dead or the illusions it has forged itself.

The most powerful tyrants are not living rulers but the lasting influence of past beliefs and self-created illusions.

_Emphasizes the enduring tyranny of beliefs over physical tyrants._

> The philosophic absurdity that often marks general beliefs has never been an obstacle to their triumph.

General beliefs succeed regardless of how irrational or absurd they are philosophically.

_Illustrates the irrationality of crowd beliefs._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_crowd_se/chapters/1-fixed-beliefs
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_crowd_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_crowd_se/chapters