Customer Reviews

Society Against the State: Essays in Political Anthropology

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Although a work of anthropology, it helps if you have a background in philosophy, as Pierre Clastres clearly does. Using the "primitive" tribes of South America, Clastres raises fascinating questions about the nature of society. According to him, not all societies are constructed on a foundation of power-play. A sensitive reading of this book will force you to re-evaluate the society you're sitting in (and if you're reading this, it doesn't matter who you are: Clastres' has us pinned.)

Like all of Clastres' work, this is a highly academic, non-casual read. He dives headlong into his topic, with very little attempt to lay any kind of theoretical foundation for his examination of politics, power, and how the two are (or are not) exercised in primitive and "developed" cultures, so it helps to come to the table with a background in the subject. For those who bring that knowledge, this is a very rewarding read.

For those interested in international law, a must.