The breakdown of nations
A fascinating manifesto, proposing that the world should be split into smaller regions to distribute power more evenly. Written by one of the most original political thinkers of the 20th century, in The Breakdown of Nations, Leopold Kohr shows that throughout history people living in small states are happier, more peaceful, more creative and more prosperous. He argues that virtually all our political and social problems would be greatly diminished if the world's major countries were to dissolve back into the small states from which they sprang. Rather than making even larger political unions, in the mistaken belief that this will bring peace and security, we should minimise the aggregation of power by returning to a patchwork of small, relatively powerless states where leaders are accessible to and responsive to the people. Originally published in 1957, this new edition features forewords by Neal Ascherson and Richard Body. The material has been noted for its striking relevance to the current political situation, with globalisation, war, nuclear weapons and the rise of electronic gadgets leading to concern over whether we should re-examine the implications of the size of political groupings, whether they be states, nations or federations. In these turbulent times, recognise the beauty and potential in small political nations with this inspiring read.
Stats for nerds
5recommend
13mentions
5people
2018–2023years
85% recommend15% neutral
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
- I like Ellul unfortunately he is much more cloudy in his statements and analysis, it takes much more energy to decipher (even in French) and make your own what he's saying.
I'd rather recommend reading basics stuff like Guy Debord (Society of Spectacle), André Gorz (Métamorphoses du travail), Schumacher (Small is Beautiful), Kohr (The Breakdown of Nations). A little bit of Bourdieu cannot hurt either
- Interesting. Scale is an often overlooked aspect of politics. On this point, I highly recommend “The Breakdown of Nations” by Leopold Kohr, which is an entire treatise on the (negative) effects of size on nations.
- "The Breakdown of Nations", by Leopold Kohr, clearly explains the main cause of 'advanced' nations current problems.
- The Breakdown of Nations by Leopold Kohr (1957)
Kohr presents his theory that the larger (physically) a government the worse it is. He laments how size has been ignored by political scientists, and that the pursuit of political unity is actually the pursuit of tyranny. He argues the ideal political structure is the sovereign city state, especially with regard to democracy. It’s not the best writing, but it completely changed my perspective on government.
The Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzō (1906)
Essays on tea, its history, and its relation to Japanese aesthetics. Also includes commentary on art, and the cultural relationship between East and West.
- The Breakdown of Nations (Leopold Kohr).
- Otherwise in English you have the works of Ivan Illich and The Breakdown of Nations by Leopold Kohr.
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