#63 Seeing Like a State - Book Summary

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Dec 8, 2023

In this engaging discussion, James C. Scott, a renowned scholar and author of 'Seeing Like a State,' delves into the intricacies of how power structures misinterpret societal complexities. He explores the pitfalls of state-led social engineering, revealing the dangers of oversimplification in governance. Scott highlights the significance of practical knowledge over standardized metrics, illustrating how local realities often clash with state policies. The conversation also touches on the historical misuse of data and the need for a nuanced approach to understanding identity and community.

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INSIGHT

State's Quest for Legibility

The state's need for legibility drives simplification and standardization of society.
This improves taxation, conscription, and control but often ignores local complexities.

INSIGHT

Causes of State-Led Catastrophes

Four factors cause catastrophic state-led social changes: simplification, high modernism, authoritarian power, and weak civil society.
These combine to enable harmful top-down interventions with little resistance.

INSIGHT

The Pitfalls of Simplification

Simplifying forests for timber ignores vital ecological and social diversity.
Treating forests solely as commodities overlooks their multiple local uses and values.

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Greetings, Esteemed Wise Wordians,

Welcome back to yet another captivating instalment of 'Wise Words Book Summaries.'

In this episode, we delve into the insightful pages of ‘Seeing Like a State’ by the esteemed James C Scott, unravelling the profound essence of its central theme.

Join us as we embark on a journey through the following thought-provoking topics:

How societal transformations can take unexpected turns
The 4 critical factors leading to catastrophic outcomes in state-led changes
State projects of legibility and simplification
The repercussions of applying measures to reality
The metric revolution and its implications
The fascinating story behind cadastral maps and their ramifications
Uncovering the origins of the modern state

If any of these subjects pique your curiosity, we invite you to tune in. And if our content resonates with you, why not express your support by liking our episode, subscribing to our channel, or, even better, sharing your invaluable insights in the comment section below? Your feedback holds immense significance to us, serving as a compass guiding our podcast's improvement.

Furthermore, should you be inclined to put into practice any of the actionable ideas we discuss in this episode, navigate over to our website at wisewords.blog, where the comprehensive summary of ‘Seeing Like A State’ awaits your exploration.

We hope that you enjoy it!

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Chapters:
Intro-00:00:00
Overview-00:00:16
Introduction (The Purpose of the Book)-00:00:48
How societal transformations go wrong:00:03:31
4 factors that lead to catastrophic outcomes in state-led societal changes:00:04:00
The pitfalls of order:00:08:10
Part 1 - State Projects of Legibility and Simplification:00:09:05
The Utilitarian language that underpins our modern times:00:14:13
Schematics of Social Order:00:20:47
Uniformity in Measurement Systems:00:21:39
The value in local measurements and why they aren’t of use to states:00:24:57
The Metric Revolution – Empowering the State:00:32:26
Measuring Land Tenure – The formation of the Cadastral Map:00:36:53
Initial Goals of Cadastral Maps:00:38:59
Where the Cadastral map gets it wrong:00:40:21
How shorthand formulas create incentives to game:00:45:32
The Origins of the Modern State:00:49:06
Naming Practices as a State Tool:00:50:52
State Tool – Standardising Language:00:52:48
Summary so far:00:54:54
Part 2 -Transforming Visions:00:55:29
Understanding State Simplification in Governance:00:59:09
Understanding the Modern Map:01:10:54
Catastrophes in State Development:01:13:55
The Evolution of the State's Role in Society:01:15:13
Understanding High Modernism:01:17:33
Modernism and City Planning:01:23:22
Lenin: The Revolutionary Visionary:01:30:18
The Art of Crafting History by Victors:01:32:18
Part 4 - The Missing Link - Types of Knowledge:01:35:58
Technical Knowledge - The Relation with Episteme and Techne:01:36:18
Techne and Science:01:39:30
Practical knowledge:01:46:53
Understanding Mētis:01:48:08
Effectiveness of Practical Knowledge:01:53:23
Valuing Practical Solutions:01:55:51
Factors Contributing to the Disregard for Practical Knowledge:01:58:32
How to make development planning better

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