Ep 115: Seeing Like a State

Sep 6, 2025

Explore the intriguing ideas from James C. Scott's 'Seeing Like a State' as the hosts connect his insights to contemporary thinking. They delve into state legibility and the dangers of high modernism, highlighting how bureaucracies can misinterpret societal complexities. The pitfalls of reductionist approaches in governance and forestry are also critiqued, advocating for localized knowledge and humility in policymaking. Personal anecdotes and historical examples bring these concepts to life, encouraging listeners to rethink the relationship between citizens and the state.

01:09:23

forum

Ask episode

web_stories

AI Snips

view_agenda

Chapters

menu_book

Books

auto_awesome

Transcript

info_circle

Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

State Seeing Is Different From Human Seeing

States must

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Don't Build Legibility Without Safeguards

Avoid blindly increasing state data collection without matching legal checks and balances.
Require strong privacy or deletion rules before deploying mass-identification systems.

volunteer_activism

ADVICE

Make The State Legible To Citizens

Make government transparent to citizens rather than making citizens fully transparent to the state.
Default to rapid deletion of state-collected data and require authorization to retain it longer.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Echoes of Change: Ideas and Interactions

02:04 • 12min

chevron_right

Understanding State Legibility

13:39 • 13min

chevron_right

The Dangers of High Modernism

26:58 • 7min

chevron_right

The Pitfalls of Scientific Forestry: A Critique of Reductionist Approaches

33:29 • 5min

chevron_right

The Dangers of High Modernism

38:33 • 24min

chevron_right

Urban Dynamics: Power and Planning in NYC

01:02:39 • 7min

chevron_right

#5089

• Mentioned in 6 episodes

The Hidden Life of Trees

Peter Wohlleben

Benjamin Flouw

Peter Wohlleben's "The Hidden Life of Trees" explores the complex social lives of trees, revealing their communication methods, symbiotic relationships, and intricate ecosystems. Wohlleben challenges traditional forestry practices and advocates for a more holistic approach to forest management. The book uses scientific research to illustrate the surprising intelligence and interconnectedness of trees, highlighting their ability to cooperate and support each other. It emphasizes the importance of preserving old-growth forests and understanding the vital role trees play in maintaining a healthy planet. The book's accessible style and captivating storytelling have made it a bestseller worldwide.

#791

• Mentioned in 29 episodes

The Death and Life of Great American Cities

Gerd Albers

Jane Jacobs

Published in 1961, 'The Death and Life of Great American Cities' is a seminal work by Jane Jacobs that critiques the urban planning policies of the 1950s. Jacobs argues against the modernist urban renewal practices that separated uses and led to the decline of city neighborhoods. She advocates for dense, mixed-use development, walkable streets, and the importance of 'eyes on the street' to maintain public order. The book emphasizes the complexity of urban life and the need for planning that prioritizes the needs and experiences of residents. Jacobs uses her own neighborhood, Greenwich Village, as a model for a healthy and vibrant urban environment, contrasting it with the urban renewal projects championed by figures like Robert Moses.

#56349

Tughlaq

a play in thirteen scenes

Girish Raghunath Karnad

#17362

• Mentioned in 2 episodes

Order without Design

How Markets Shape Cities

Alain Bertaud

In this book, Alain Bertaud challenges traditional urban planning paradigms by advocating for a market-driven approach. He argues that cities function best when market forces guide their development rather than top-down planning. Bertaud emphasizes the importance of mobility and affordability, critiques restrictive zoning laws, and suggests that urban planners should act as facilitators providing infrastructure and policy frameworks to support market operations. The book integrates empirical evidence with theoretical insights, highlighting the role of housing markets in shaping urban landscapes and advocating for flexible land use policies to adapt to population growth and economic changes.

Executive Functions

Russell A. Barkley

#143

• Mentioned in 96 episodes

The Power Broker

Robert Moses and the Fall of New York

Robert Caro

This book is a monumental biography of Robert Moses, who was the single most powerful man in New York City and State during his time. It explores how Moses accumulated and wielded power, shaping the city through his public works projects, including highways, bridges, and parks. The book delves into Moses's early life, his idealistic beginnings, and his transformation into a powerful figure who dominated New York's politics without ever being elected. It also highlights the social and environmental impacts of his projects and his eventual fall from power. The biography is renowned for its detailed and nuanced portrayal of power dynamics in urban politics.

#379

• Mentioned in 49 episodes

Seeing Like a State

How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed

James C. Scott

In this book, James C. Scott examines the failures of centrally managed social plans and the destructive consequences of high-modernist ideologies. Scott argues that states often impose simplistic visions on complex societies, ignoring local, practical knowledge and leading to disastrous outcomes. He identifies four conditions common to all planning disasters: administrative ordering of nature and society, high-modernist ideology, authoritarian state power, and a prostrate civil society. The book critiques various utopian projects, including collective farms, compulsory villagization, and urban planning, and advocates for a more nuanced approach that respects local diversity and practical knowledge.

Ideas can often be an engine to think about the world. Seeing Like a State by James C Scott is a great book that has illuminated the world with the power of its frameworks — and both Amit and Ajay are fans.

Welcome to Episode 115 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah.

In this episode, Ajay talks about what Scott’s book meant to him — and lays out an easy introduction to its powerful ideas.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Packaging00:13 Intro: The Velvet Underground of Ideas03:57 Chapter 1: What the Book Means to Ajay13:17 Chapter 2: State Legibility26:36 Chapter 3: High Modernism31:12 Chapter 4: Metis33:07 Chapter 5: An Example: Prussian Forestry Management39:27 Chapter 6: Watch out for These Four Things41:38 Chapter 7: More Examples49:14 Chapter 8: Some Takeaways1:00:49 Chapter 9: An Engine for Thinking About the World1:02:14 Chapter 10: Recommendations

For full show notes, please click here!

Home Top podcasts Popular guests Top books