Against the Grain

Discover the true cost of civilization and political order in this Economist Best History Book 2017. Why did humans give up hunting and gathering for sedentary lifestyles dependent on livestock and cereal grains? James C. Scott challenges the common narrative and delves into the history of domestication, explaining how it led to the birth of the first agrarian states. Learn how mobile subsistence and unfree labor enabled early societies to thrive and why certain groups have long avoided state control. A must-read for those seeking a deeper understanding of human history.