A Study On James Scott's Theory Of Peasant Everyday Resistance

The study on peasant has been revived since 1970's, as an academic inflection point, James C. Scott's theory of peasants' everyday resistance has proved the existence of such a field in which the weak struggle for their rights. Meanwhile by anthropological approaches and a unique perspective, Scott has done the case studies on Malay villages which have supported the theory of the everyday resistance of the weak firmly. On the basis of these researches, Scott has rethought hegemony (Gramsci style) and class conflicts, and proved the fallaciousness of explaining the quiescence and overt complicity of the poor in exploitive situation so as to protrude the importance of peasants' everyday resistance.This paper began by sketching out the premise of moral peasant, turns to the thought of everyday forms of peasant resistance. The contribution made by Scott is that he proves that peasants' ideas of social justice and ethic mainly stem from village reciprocity and household security, customs and subsistence need and culture thus establish the ceiling on the economic claims and the destroy of moral ethic will result in peasants' rage and resistance. Then Scott clams that village culture, custom and location will influence the ways for peasants protecting their survival rights which are in and between the obedience and rebellions (everyday forms of resistance). The entity of such field is humane and good for the weak. Meanwhile focusing on it will have vital importance for the safe of a country. The dissertation shows that Scott has revealed the unobtrusive realm of political struggle which has made sense both in symbolic or material universe. Attention should be paid in this invisible realm since it has questioned the concepts of hegemony, exploit and the poor's political participation. Then this paper points out that the theory of everyday resistance of peasant had inspired us rethink the existing researches both in the theoretical level and practical level. Furthermore, Scott's findings also enlighten the researchers and scholars in our nation.