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Two Cheers for Anarchism
- Six Easy Pieces on Autonomy, Dignity, and Meaningful Work and Play
- Narrated by: Jeremy Arthur
- Length: 4 hrs and 38 mins
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Two Cheers for Anarchism
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Summary
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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What listeners say about Two Cheers for Anarchism
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- papapownall
- 28-08-19
Easy listening amble through anarchism
I have tried to understand Anarchism before and ploughed through heavyweight tomes of political diatribe by the likes of Bakunin, Kropotkin and Proudhon. This is joyless task and makes you wonder whether the concept of a stateless society is really all it is cracked up to be. I took a deep breath, therefore, when I stated to listen to this book by anthropologist James C Scott which promises to be a defence of the anarchist perspective. It is written in what is describes as "six easy pieces" and it is, indeed, easy to listen to and there are several times during the "Fragments" of this book that a reader could be forgiven for thinking that this is a light hearted collections of anecdotes rather than a description of a political ideology. There is precious little mention of anarchist theories or thinkers or history and this is a welcome relief. Whilst this book does not really do much to explain or promote anarchist concepts it is an easy listen that amuses rather than taxes the reader / listener and this is not a bad thing.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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- Sarah Spectacles
- 25-04-19
interesting and pertinent
some excellent points made though some pronunciations a little weirdly off putting! worth a listen
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Ciaran Buckley
- 22-11-17
Brilliant ideas, calmly and clearly explained
Brilliant ideas, calmly and clearly explained. James C Scott explains the power of ordinary people acting in their own self-interest, changing history and how this is repugnant to the self-interests of the state.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Joseph R Pearce
- 21-10-20
Excellent critique. Fun, playful and insightful.
As someone who has always described my self as Socialist, I am more and more aware of the dangers of the state and indeed centralised models of control. Power is in our hands and its through multiple spontaneous action that elites are toppled not by some centrally controlled organising committee. Trade Unionists should demand localisation of there unions. No more central offices in new York Washington or London. Great read
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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- Patrick Fox
- 14-12-22
Ehhh
it's...okay
not a book that will have you tearing down the walls of the state. more of a philosophical introduction to some of a primary ideas in anarchism. which is what Scott set out to make.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Greg Gauthier
- 09-06-16
Eye-Opening and Insightful
James Scott's case for anarchy is one of the best mainstream presentations I've ever seen. Chapters two and six are especially good. Scott offers a view of *present* political life that is at once novel and powerfully convincing (albeit, a little naive). Despite it's vaguely unsatisfying incompleteness, I would count this as a much better book than Chomsky's "On Anarchy" for example, for the strength of its arguments.
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3 people found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- Amazon Customer
- 29-12-17
fragmentary but illuminating
Scott's essays are all over the place, for good or ill. Superficially they might seem unfocused. But they shed light on how anarchism is not an abstract ideology but a living practice that can pop up in all areas of disjointed human life.
The book is easy reading/listening, but don't let that deceive you. You will learn a lot in the process.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Radio Hydrogen
- 13-05-23
Familiar Politics from an Alien Perspective
I've always been inclined towards Anarchism, it is a natural fit for me. That doesn't, of course, mean that it is a useful or correct set of politics merely because it suits my psyche and worldview. This book illuminates, for me, logic and history that I have never considered or encountered. It gives numerous detailed historical examples of natural anarchy as a kind of emergent property that flourishes when people and communities are self stewarding. In Two Cheers for Anarchism, Scott also deals with some of the practical apprehensions that one might have in terms of productivity/work and reveals accidental substrates and friends of Anarchism that even some anarchists would not have realised. The book is very well written and gorgeously narrated. It is challenging in a couple of places and comes from a perspective alien to me. Two Cheers for Anarchism is an antidote to some of the petrification that can occur even in the expanded and untethered minds of anarchists. I enjoyed being disabused of some of my own preconceptions and inherited fears. It shook me up in a good way. As a result, I have a greater appreciation for the social physics of history. It's a small and powerful book. I will enjoy listening again and following up on some of the micro history it points to. Love it!
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
- SJ Cooper-Knock
- 21-09-17
Two cheers are too few...
For those who have not encountered Scott yet there is much to enjoy but otherwise there is little that is new. I loved Scott's prose, as ever, but longed for more on anarchism.
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