Reversing Climate Change 363: Carbon Markets & The Art of Not Being Governed: Legibility vs. Complexity in James C. Scott—w/ Grant Faber
Aug 26, 2025
Grant Faber, a Consultant at Carbon-Based Consulting, delves into the intersection of anthropology, carbon markets, and governance. He discusses James C. Scott's ideas on 'legibility' versus complexity, exploring why states prefer orderly approaches that often overlook justice. The conversation tackles the nuances of carbon removal and the challenges within market standards, emphasizing the importance of understanding diverse stakeholder perspectives. Faber also reflects on conservation and the intricate human experiences that shape it, revealing the tension between simplification and genuine complexity.
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States Produce Legibility
- States function as legibility-producing machines that simplify complex social life to govern it.
- James C. Scott shows writing, records, and standardized crops made populations easier to tax and conscript.
Peripheries Resist Legibility
- People on geographic peripheries avoid state legibility through mobility, polyculture, and oral traditions.
- These strategies reduce tax, conscription, and corvée exposure while preserving local adaptability.
Legibility's Tradeoffs
- Legibility has benefits like clear property rights and legal processes that aid administration.
- But simplifying social arrangements can erase local logics and justice embedded in complexity.
