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Against the Grain: A Deep History of the Earliest States
336 pages, 2018
Why did humans abandon hunting and gathering for sedentary communities dependent on livestock and cereal grains, and governed by precursors of today’s states?
Most people believe that plant and animal domestication allowed humans, finally, to settle down and form agricultural villages, towns, and states, which made possible civilization, law, public order, and a presumably secure way of living. But archaeological and historical evidence challenges this narrative.
The first agrarian states were born not of accumulations of domestication—first fire, then plants, livestock, subjects of the state, captives, and finally women in the patriarchal family—but rather from accumulations of control over reproduction via organized violence against men in those societies that were already becoming patriarchal.
James C. Scott challenges the traditional narrative that civilization is a natural progression from primitive societies. He argues that early states were often brutal and oppressive, forcing people into labor and warfare. This book will make you rethink the benefits of civilization and question the common belief that progress is always good.
Scott explores the role of agriculture in the formation of early states. He suggests that the shift from hunter-gatherer societies to farming was not a voluntary choice, but a forced one. This book will help you understand the deep history of agriculture and its impact on human societies.
Against the Grain highlights the importance of non-state spaces - areas beyond the control of early states. These spaces, according to Scott, were refuges for people escaping the oppression of the state. This book will encourage you to look into the power and potential of these often overlooked spaces.
Scott digs into the impact of disease on early states. He argues that the concentration of people and animals in these states led to the spread of diseases, which often resulted in their collapse. This book will help you see the role of disease in shaping human history.
In Against the Grain, Scott shows that human progress is not a straightforward path. It's filled with detours, reversals, and dead ends. This book will inspire you to explore the complexity of human progress and understand that it's not always about moving forward, but also about learning from the past.