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Excerpt
Excerpt from Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions — Volume 1, by Charles Mackay
N'en deplaise a ces fous nommes sages de Grece;<br />
En ce monde il n'est point de parfaite sagesse;<br />
Tous les hommes sont fous, et malgre tous leurs soins,<br />
Ne different entre eux que du plus ou du moins.
BOILEAU.
In reading the history of nations, we find that, like individuals, they
have their whims and their peculiarities; their seasons of excitement
and recklessness, when they care not what they do. We find that whole
communities suddenly fix their minds upon one object, and go mad in its
pursuit; that millions of people become simultaneously impressed with
one delusion, and run after it, till their attention is caught by some
new folly more captivating than the first. We see one nation suddenly
seized, from its highest to its lowest members, with a fierce desire
of military glory; another as suddenly becoming crazed upon a religious
scruple, and neither of them recovering its senses until it has shed
rivers of blood and sowed a harvest of groans and tears, to be reaped
by its posterity. At an early age in the annals of Europe its population
lost their wits about the Sepulchre of Jesus, and crowded in frenzied
multitudes to the Holy Land: another age went mad for fear of the Devil,
and offered up hundreds of thousands of victims to the delusion of
witchcraft. At another time, the many became crazed on the subject of
the Philosopher's Stone, and committed follies till then unheard of in
the pursuit. It was once thought a venial offence in very many countries
of Europe to destroy an enemy by slow poison. Persons who would have
revolted at the idea of stabbing a man to the heart, drugged his pottage
without scruple. Ladies of gentle birth and manners caught the
contagion of murder, until poisoning, under their auspices, became quite
fashionable. Some delusions, though notorious to all the world, have
subsisted for ages, flourishing as widely among civilized and polished
nations as among the early barbarians with whom they originated,--that
of duelling, for instance, and the belief in omens and divination of
the future, which seem to defy the progress of knowledge to eradicate
entirely from the popular mind. Money, again, has often been a cause
of the delusion of multitudes. Sober nations have all at once become
desperate gamblers, and risked almost their existence upon the turn of
a piece of paper. To trace the history of the most prominent of these
delusions is the object of the present pages. Men, it has been well
said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while
they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.
Explanation
Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions by Charles Mackay
1. Context of the Source
Charles Mackay’s Memoirs of Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds (1841) is a historical account of mass hysteria, financial bubbles, and collective irrationality. The work examines phenomena such as the Tulip Mania (1637), the South Sea Bubble (1720), the Crusades, and witch hunts, arguing that human societies periodically succumb to shared delusions that lead to destructive behavior. Mackay, a Scottish journalist and poet, wrote during the Victorian era, a time of rapid industrialization and social change, when concerns about mob psychology and economic speculation were growing.
The excerpt opens with an epigraph (a quotation) from Nicolas Boileau, a 17th-century French poet and critic, which sets the tone for Mackay’s argument:
"N'en deplaise a ces fous nommes sages de Grece; En ce monde il n'est point de parfaite sagesse; Tous les hommes sont fous, et malgre tous leurs soins, Ne different entre eux que du plus ou du moins."(Much to the displeasure of those fools called the wise men of Greece; In this world there is no perfect wisdom; All men are fools, and despite all their efforts, They differ from each other only by degree.)
This epigraph undermines the idea of human rationality, suggesting that even those considered "wise" are prone to folly—just to varying extents. Mackay uses this to introduce his central thesis: human history is marked by recurrent episodes of collective madness.
2. Themes in the Excerpt
The passage explores several key themes:
A. The Irrationality of Crowds
Mackay argues that nations, like individuals, are susceptible to "whims and peculiarities"—periods where they abandon reason in pursuit of a single, often destructive, obsession. He describes how:
- "Whole communities suddenly fix their minds upon one object, and go mad in its pursuit."
- "Millions become simultaneously impressed with one delusion," only to abandon it when a new, more captivating folly emerges.
This reflects the psychology of mass movements, where social contagion (the spread of ideas, emotions, or behaviors through a group) leads to irrational actions. Mackay’s work predates modern psychological theories like Gustave Le Bon’s The Crowd (1895), but it anticipates the idea that individuals in a crowd lose personal responsibility and act on impulse.
B. Historical Examples of Collective Delusion
Mackay provides a catalog of historical frenzies to illustrate his point:
- Religious Fanaticism – The Crusades (Europeans obsessed with reclaiming Jesus’ sepulchre in Jerusalem, leading to bloody wars).
- Moral Panics – The witch hunts (mass hysteria over demonic possession, resulting in executions).
- Alchemy & Pseudoscience – The Philosopher’s Stone (a mythical substance believed to turn base metals into gold, driving people to ruin in pursuit of it).
- Fashionable Vice – Poisoning as a social trend (aristocratic women in Renaissance Europe using arsenic as a tool for murder, almost as a status symbol).
- Economic Speculation – Financial bubbles (societies gambling their wealth on risky ventures, like the Mississippi Bubble or tulip bulbs).
- Superstition & Tradition – Dueling and divination (beliefs that persist despite Enlightenment progress).
Each example shows how civilized societies are not immune to irrationality—in fact, Mackay suggests that advancement in knowledge does not erase deep-seated delusions.
C. The Cyclical Nature of Human Folly
Mackay presents these delusions as recurring patterns in history:
- "Some delusions… have subsisted for ages," persisting from barbaric to civilized societies.
- "Men think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds," but recover their senses slowly, and one by one.
This implies that collective madness is inevitable, but individual recovery is gradual. The phrase "go mad in herds" is particularly striking—it suggests that groupthink amplifies irrationality, while reason returns only through individual reflection.
D. The Role of Money and Greed
Mackay highlights how economic delusions (like speculative bubbles) can drive entire nations to ruin:
- "Sober nations have all at once become desperate gamblers, risking almost their existence upon the turn of a piece of paper."
This foreshadows his later analysis of financial crashes, where greed and herd mentality lead to economic collapse. The "piece of paper" refers to stock certificates or promissory notes, which became worthless when bubbles burst.
3. Literary Devices & Stylistic Choices
Mackay employs several rhetorical and stylistic techniques to strengthen his argument:
A. Parallelism & Repetition
- "We find that… we find that… we see one nation… another as suddenly…" – This anaphora (repetition at the beginning of clauses) creates a rhythmic, almost hypnotic effect, mimicking the contagious nature of mass delusions.
- "From its highest to its lowest members" – Emphasizes that no social class is immune to irrationality.
B. Vivid Imagery & Metaphor
- "Crowded in frenzied multitudes to the Holy Land" – Conveys the chaotic, emotional nature of the Crusades.
- "Shed rivers of blood and sowed a harvest of groans and tears" – A grim agricultural metaphor, suggesting that violence plants future suffering.
- "Poisoning… became quite fashionable" – The word "fashionable" is darkly ironic, framing murder as a social trend.
C. Irony & Sarcasm
- "Persons who would have revolted at the idea of stabbing a man to the heart, drugged his pottage without scruple." – Highlights the hypocrisy of moral standards (poisoning was seen as less brutal than direct violence).
- "Ladies of gentle birth and manners caught the contagion of murder" – The contrast between "gentle" and "murder" is jarring, emphasizing how civilized people embrace barbarism.
D. Generalization for Universal Application
Mackay avoids specific dates or deep historical analysis in this introduction, instead painting broad strokes to suggest that these patterns apply to all societies. This makes his argument timeless and applicable to any era, including his own (Victorian Britain) and ours (modern financial crises, social media frenzies, etc.).
4. Significance & Relevance
A. Historical Perspective on Mass Psychology
Mackay’s work was groundbreaking in treating collective delusions as a historical force. Before psychology became a formal discipline, he observed behavioral patterns that later scholars (like Gustave Le Bon, Sigmund Freud, and modern behavioral economists) would study systematically.
B. Warning Against Herd Mentality
The excerpt serves as a cautionary tale about:
- Financial speculation (relevant to stock market bubbles, cryptocurrency frenzies).
- Political and religious extremism (how mobs form around ideologies).
- Social media echo chambers (where misinformation spreads like a contagion).
Mackay’s observation that "men go mad in herds" is eerily prescient in the age of viral trends, conspiracy theories, and mass hysteria.
C. Critique of Human Progress
Despite the Enlightenment’s faith in reason, Mackay argues that human nature remains susceptible to irrationality. His examples show that education and civilization do not eliminate delusions—they merely change their form.
5. Key Takeaways from the Text Itself
- Collective madness is a recurring historical phenomenon—nations periodically fixate on destructive obsessions.
- No group is immune—whether religious zealots, aristocrats, or sober investors, all can be swept up in delusions.
- Delusions evolve but persist—some (like dueling or superstition) linger despite progress.
- Recovery is slow and individual—while crowds lose reason together, they regain it one by one.
- Economic, religious, and social frenzies follow similar patterns—excitement, recklessness, and eventual collapse.
6. Conclusion: Why This Excerpt Matters
Mackay’s introduction is not just a historical observation—it’s a mirror held up to human nature. By showing how past societies destroyed themselves through shared irrationality, he challenges the reader to recognize similar patterns in their own time.
His skepticism toward progress (the idea that civilization makes us wiser) remains provocative today. In an era of misinformation, financial bubbles, and political polarization, Mackay’s warning—that "men go mad in herds"—feels more urgent than ever.
Would we recognize our own delusions before it’s too late? That’s the unsettling question Mackay leaves us with.