I can see this being useful in the context of a political science course, but Scott's Seeing Like A State is a better standalone presentation of these ideas.

This book was brief and brilliant. I love that the good Dr. Scott is embracing an anarchist perspective in his old age. His "anarchist squint" matches and improves upon my own and I'm so glad to have finally dived into his work. There are many of his engaging, funny lectures up on YouTube and Against the Grain and Seeing Like A State are on my list.

Given another title, I think this tome could get a great many more people seeing the world a little closer to the way anarchists do...and the world would likely be all the better for it!

Read for Hist 463W: Dismantling Capitalism

This is a pleasant little book! From traffic lights to the SAT, from the assembly line to the retirement home, Scott traces where overregulation and hierarchy has constrained the human spirit. And he shows us where alternatives have flowered, rooted in spontaneity, in local vernaculars, in democracy.

James Scott is not an anarchist (hence only two cheers, not three) but he has a refreshing feel for the spirit of anarchy. This book is no comprehensive theoretical tome, but a sprightly dance through history and modern culture to show where an "anarchist squint" might make our world a little bit fuller.

i was surprised to hear that scott isnt outright an anarchist! but i think i overestimate how many people are willing to commit to that.
his writing about cooperation and play are stunning. he gives examples of times that authority was released in ways unthinkable to most of us, and how they just… worked.
BUT
i started to lose him with the small business talk…