Crowds and power

In 'Crowds and Power', Elias Canetti examines the psychological and social dynamics of crowds and their relationship with power.

The book, first published in German as 'Masse und Macht' in 1960, uses a wide range of historical and anthropological examples to illustrate how crowds form and behave.

Canetti discusses the transformation of individuals within a crowd, the role of leaders, and the mechanisms of power, including the exploitation of fear and the spread of influence.

The work is characterized by its literary and symbolic approach, making it more than a conventional scholarly treatise on crowd psychology.