A theory of large amplitude collective motion of a many-particle system is presented, which is relevant, for example, to nuclear fission. The theory is a combination of techniques used in many areas of physics and mathematics. The starting point is the application of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation to generate invariant subspaces of the Hamiltonian in the Hartree–Fock approximation. This is a generalization of the group-theoretical device of generating orbits of a group in the construction of reduced representations. It is shown how solutions of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation can be expressed as instantaneous stationary states of a constrained static Hamiltonian. Thus contact is made with the traditional cranking models and constrained Hartree–Fock theories of large amplitude collective motion. The collective motion is quantized using the Hill–Wheeler–Griffin method of generator coordinates in a basis of generalized coherent states. One is thereby able to exploit much of the theory of harmonic oscillator coherent states, which have been so successfully used in the quantum theory of the laser. The resulting Schrödinger equation for the collective dynamics is expressed both in the Bargmann representation and in the more familiar Schrödinger representation. It is shown that solution of the Schrödinger equation in the small amplitude harmonic approximation reproduces the well-known RPA result. A pilot calculation for 28Si shows that application in large amplitude is also feasible.