Scott identifies four main themes that characterize peasant politics: localism, syncretism, profanation, and dissimulation. Localism refers to the preference for local autonomy and self-governance over centralized authority and external intervention. Syncretism refers to the blending of different religious and ideological elements into a coherent and flexible worldview that can accommodate diverse situations and challenges. Profanation refers to the subversion and mockery of the symbols and rituals of the dominant culture and religion, as a way of expressing dissent and defiance. Dissimulation refers to the concealment and deception of one's true intentions and actions from the eyes of the powerful, as a way of avoiding detection and punishment.
Dissimulation in Practice
The second part of the book focuses on one specific mode of dissimulation: resistance to the tithe in France and Malaysia. The tithe was a tax imposed by the church or the state on agricultural produce, which was often seen as an unjust and oppressive burden by the peasants. Scott examines how peasants resisted the tithe in various ways, such as hiding or destroying their crops, falsifying their accounts, bribing or threatening the collectors, or appealing to higher authorities. He shows how these forms of resistance were not only economic strategies, but also political statements that challenged the legitimacy and morality of the tithe system.
Scott also analyzes how peasants used different forms of disguise and symbolism to express their resistance to the tithe. For example, in France, peasants would dress up as animals or clowns during the collection day, or perform mock rituals such as burying or burning the tithe records. In Malaysia, peasants would invoke Islamic concepts such as zakat (alms-giving) or haram (forbidden) to justify their refusal or evasion of the tithe. Scott argues that these forms of resistance were not merely passive or covert, but also active and creative, as they involved the use of humor, irony, parody, and ambiguity to undermine the authority and credibility of the tithe system.
The State's Grip on the Vernacular World
The third part of the book explores how the state attempts to increase its control over its population by imposing legal identities, land registration, taxation, and surveillance. Scott argues that these measures are not only administrative tools, but also ideological instruments that aim to create a standardized and legible society that can be easily manipulated and exploited by the state. Scott shows how these measures often encounter resistance and evasion from the subalterns, who seek to preserve their vernacular worldviews and practices that are more diverse, complex, and flexible than the state's categories and rules.
Scott pays special attention to one aspect of state intervention: the invention and imposition of permanent patronyms (family names) on vernacular populations that did not have them before. He traces how this process took place in different regions such as Europe, China, Southeast Asia, and Africa, and how it affected the social and cultural lives of the subalterns. He argues that patronyms are not just neutral labels, but powerful markers of identity, status, and affiliation that can have significant consequences for the subalterns' access to resources, rights, and recognition. Scott also shows how subalterns resisted or subverted the patronym system by changing, hiding, or inventing their names, or by using alternative forms of identification such as nicknames, titles, or kinship terms.
Conclusion
Decoding Subaltern Politics is a rich and stimulating book that offers a comprehensive and nuanced analysis of the subalterns' struggles and strategies in the face of state domination and oppression. Scott combines theoretical sophistication with empirical depth, drawing on a wide range of sources and examples from different historical and geographical contexts. Scott also writes with clarity and elegance, making his arguments accessible and engaging for both academic and general audiences. The book is a valuable contribution to the fields of political science, anthropology, sociology, history, and cultural studies, as well as to anyone interested in the politics and culture of the subalterns.
References:
Scott, J.C. (2013). Decoding Subaltern Politics: Ideology, Disguise, and Resistance in Agrarian Politics. Oxon: Routledge.
Scott, J.C. (1976). The Moral Economy of the Peasant: Rebellion and Subsistence in Southeast Asia. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Scott, J.C. (1985). Weapons of the Weak: Everyday Forms of Peasant Resistance. New Haven: Yale University Press.
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