Articles Analysis Essay on "Domination and the Arts of Resistance" and "Weapons of the Weak" by James C. Scott

Introduction

James C. Scott is an American political Anthropologist and Scientist, born in December 1936 and has been working as a comparative scholar of non-state and agrarian societies. He was educated at Williams College, and later earned masters and a Ph.D. degree. Since 1967, Scott has been a professor of political science at Yale University. This paper will focus on two of the articles written by James Scott which are, "Domination and the Arts of Resistance published in 1990 and "Weapons of the Weak" published in 1985.

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In his writing, James Scott mainly focuses on the idea of resistance. His book on "Weapons of the weak." emphasizes the daily forms of resistance by peasants. His main idea revolves around the effects of the Green Revolution which was happening in rural Malaysia (Scott, 91). There were existing politics at the time between the landowners and peasants in Malaysia. Their resistance, however, was not based on violent revolution or episodic and open politics of land seizures. The peasants developed a form of resistance through continuous activities more nuanced and subtle such as laziness and laughter, gossip and grumbling, sabotage and stupidity. Scott names this type of resistance, 'Everyday type of resistance.' as peasants' rebel against material and psychic dominance of the landowners (Scott, 95). This type of resistance occurs daily, but the authorities do not see the acts of these peasants. The article argues that open insubordination is likely to provoke a rapid response as compared to defiance that is pervasive but does not engage in the contest of the formal definition of power (Scott, 93). The acts of the individuals and the decision to be silent by the antagonists take part in creating a type of unexplainable silence which wipes out the form of resistance from history.

In another of his books, "Domination and the Arts of Resistance" published in 1990, Scott further focuses on resistance where he is preoccupied with personal terror and the anxiety of a person who feels powerless. This type of terror, to him, informs all relationships of subordination and domination. The dominators can construct public personae and present a 'public transcript' which helps them dominate naturally and make the domination inevitable. The terror also informs the subordinate as they come up with strategies of creating their social space enabling them to be proficient in political disguise arts and therefore resist against their dominators (Scott, 207). In this book, Scott's key phrase for his analysis is the 'hidden transcript' which signals the distinction of his approach to the issue of violence. This transcript is used to "critique the power spoken behind the back of the dominators.' (Scott, 211). The transcript can also be proclaimed publicly, although it happens on rare occasions which Scott terms as, "in the teeth of power." (Scott, 211) The first public proclamation to Scott is prehistory which "explains the capacity it has to produce political breakthroughs." Failure of the transcript to bring immediate change still raises the likelihood of being noted, methodized in stories of sacrifice and bravery and admired thus becoming a part of the 'hidden transcript.' (Scott, 209).

Conclusion

James Scott, in his work, is focusing more on the art of resistance of oppressors to eliminate domination. In his books, he comes up with literature which shows the need for opposition by the subordinates to help them escape the terror of powerlessness. Nonetheless, it is evident that he advocates for peaceful resistance other than violence.

Works Cited

Scott, James C. Domination and the arts of resistance: Hidden transcripts. Yale university press, 1990.199-213.

Scott, James C. Weapons of the weak: Everyday forms of peasant resistance. Yale University Press, 1985.89-96.