The Art of Not Being Governed

About “The Art of Not Being Governed”

The Art of Not Being Governed: An Anarchist History of Upland Southeast Asia is an anthropological and historical study of the Zomia highlands of Southeast Asia by James C. Scott, published in 2009. Zomia refers to lands above 300 meters, stretching from the Central Highlands of Vietnam to northeastern India. This region includes parts of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, and four provinces of China. Scott describes Zomia's population of around 100 million as consisting of diverse ethnic and linguistic groups, such as the Akha, Hmong, Karen, Lahu, Mien, and Wa peoples. The book explores how these groups have historically resisted state control.