Title
Against The Grain: A Deep History Of The Earliest States
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An Economist Best History Book 2017?History As It Should Be Written.?Barry Cunliffe, Guardian?Scott Hits The Nail Squarely On The Head By Exposing The Staggering Price Our Ancestors Paid For Civilization And Political Order.?Walter Scheidel, Financial Timeswhy 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, Says James C. Scott, Were Born Of Accumulations Of Domestications: First Fire, Then Plants, Livestock, Subjects Of The State, Captives, And Finally Women In The Patriarchal Familyall Of Which Can Be Viewed As A Way Of Gaining Control Over Reproduction.Scott Explores Why We Avoided Sedentism And Plow Agriculture, The Advantages Of Mobile Subsistence, The Unforeseeable Disease Epidemics Arising From Crowding Plants, Animals, And Grain, And Why All Early States Are Based On Millets And Cereal Grains And Unfree Labor. He Also Discusses The ?Barbarians? Who Long Evaded State Control, As A Way Of Understanding Continuing Tension Between States And Nonsubject Peoples.
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- Q: What is the main theme of 'Against the Grain'? A: The book explores the surprising evidence that challenges the conventional narrative regarding the origins of the earliest states and civilizations, focusing on why humans transitioned from hunting and gathering to sedentary agricultural societies.
- Q: Who is the author of 'Against the Grain'? A: The author is James C. Scott, a renowned scholar known for his insights into political theory and history.
- Q: What is the publication date of this book? A: The book was published on July 24, 2018.
- Q: How many pages does 'Against the Grain' have? A: The book contains 336 pages.
- Q: What type of binding does this book have? A: This edition of 'Against the Grain' is available in paperback binding.
- Q: Is 'Against the Grain' a suitable read for history enthusiasts? A: Yes, the book is highly recommended for history enthusiasts, as it presents a critical examination of the early states and challenges widely accepted historical narratives.
- Q: What is the edition of this book? A: This is a reprint edition of 'Against the Grain'.
- Q: What kind of evidence does the book discuss regarding early civilizations? A: The book discusses archaeological and historical evidence that contradicts the notion that domestication of plants and animals was the primary factor leading to settled agricultural societies.
- Q: Does the book discuss the impact of agriculture on society? A: Yes, it addresses the implications of agriculture on social structures, including the control over reproduction and labor dynamics in early agrarian states.
- Q: What accolades has 'Against the Grain' received? A: The book was recognized as one of The Economist's Best History Books of 2017.