A spirited defense of the anarchist approach to life James Scott
taught us what's wrong with seeing like a state. Now, in his most
accessible and personal book to date, the acclaimed social scientist
makes the case for seeing like an anarchist. Inspired by the core
anarchist faith in the possibilities of voluntary cooperation without
hierarchy, Two Cheers for Anarchism is an engaging, high-spirited, and
often very funny defense of an anarchist way of seeing—one that
provides a unique and powerful perspective on everything from everyday
social and political interactions to mass protests and revolutions.
Through a wide-ranging series of memorable anecdotes and examples, the
book describes an anarchist sensibility that celebrates the local
knowledge, common sense, and creativity of ordinary people. The result
is a kind of handbook on constructive anarchism that challenges us to
radically reconsider the value of hierarchy in public and private
life, from schools and workplaces to retirement homes and government
itself. Beginning with what Scott calls "the law of anarchist
calisthenics," an argument for law-breaking inspired by an East German
pedestrian crossing, each chapter opens with a story that captures an
essential anarchist truth. In the course of telling these stories,
Scott touches on a wide variety of subjects: public disorder and
riots, desertion, poaching, vernacular knowledge, assembly-line
production, globalization, the petty bourgeoisie, school testing,
playgrounds, and the practice of historical explanation. Far from a
dogmatic manifesto, Two Cheers for Anarchism celebrates the anarchist
confidence in the inventiveness and judgment of people who are free to
exercise their creative and moral capacities.
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781400844623
Publisert
2013
Utgiver
Vendor
Princeton University Press
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter