The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia (Yale Agrarian Studies Series)
In The Art of Not Being Governed, James C. Scott presents an anarchist history of upland Southeast Asia, part of the Yale Agrarian Studies Series. He explores how highland peoples crafted societies to avoid state domination, emphasizing mobility and decentralized living as strategies of resistance against lowland powers.
About This Book
The Art of Not Being Governed examines the historical dynamics of upland Southeast Asia, focusing on the deliberate choices of highland communities to remain outside centralized state authority.
James C. Scott draws on agrarian studies to illustrate how these societies developed adaptive practices that prioritized mobility, decentralization, and resistance to lowland state powers.
The book highlights the interplay between geography, culture, and politics in shaping anarchic social structures across the region.
Through this lens, Scott offers a fresh perspective on state evasion as a form of intentional social organization in Southeast Asian history.
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