Scott H Young Podcast (Ep 7) - Book Club: Seeing like a state
Jan 24, 2018
Trent Fuller, a STEM enthusiast and blogger at rulerstothesky.com, dives deep into James C. Scott’s insightful work. He discusses the pitfalls of high modernism, using scientific forestry as an example of failed top-down planning. The conversation emphasizes the importance of local knowledge, 'metis', over formal expertise. Trent critiques how governments oversimplify complexities, affecting community relationships. He also highlights the rich insights from traditional farming practices, advocating for a humble, adaptable approach to governance and problem-solving.
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High Modernism Vs Local Knowledge
- James C. Scott identifies 'high modernism' as the belief that experts can redesign societies from abstract plans.
- This fails when planners ignore local, tacit knowledge embedded in complex systems.
Scientific Forestry Failure
- Scientific forestry replaced mixed forests with monoculture rows of fast-growing trees and seemed efficient at first.
- Over decades yields collapsed due to pests, soil depletion, and ecosystem disruption.
Legibility Enables Control
- Simplifying a system often increases state 'legibility' and control even if it harms functionality.
- Planners sometimes prefer legibility because it makes counting, taxing, and enforcing easier.