People without Government: An Anthropology of Anarchy

People Without Government: An Anthropology of Anarchy is a 1990 book by Harold Barclay which explores various anarchist societies in various stages of economic production (from forager to farming to industrial).

Summary

Anarchy Among Hunter-Gatherers

Forager societies are the oldest and most natural way of organising a group of people. Yet almost nobody lives like this, often trading luxury furs for vehicles and weapons on the international capitalist market.

The Inuit (who live in the Arctic region of North America) have organised into an anarchist systems, living in small bands with no fixed rulers (although there are some trusted leaders based on their skill and knowledge) and near gender equality. Yet Inuit society is also fairly violent, with disputes not solved with restorative means but instead through various competitions like wrestling. Gossip and shame are used to stop undesirable behaviour, but people often get away with crimes. Inuit society also demonstrates the Tyranny of Structurelessness, with religious shaman (responsible for medical care and communication with the gods) often have disproportionate power in a society. Inuits show that proto-hierarchical forms of domination might emerge through religion as certain figures carry a monopoly on spirituality.

External Links

• People Without Government at anarchyinaction.org