Routine (traditional-everyday) resistance , or the “Weapons of the Weak” is a form of behavior that reflects the implicit opposition of the authorities and manifests itself in the form of petty sabotage , theft , damage to property, the spread of gossip , anecdotes about power .
This type of resistance can be found in authoritarian systems and in relations of power and authority. In a situation when mass public protest is impossible, due to lack of resources or legal, social and cultural reasons, routine resistance is often the only available form of resistance. However, striving even for this kind of resistance can be the foundation for future collective mobilization in the event of favorable conditions. The saying of the Spanish peasants: "I obey, but do not obey."
Content
History
The concept of the “weapon of the weak” was developed by the American anthropologist James Scott He studied the evolution of relations between peasants and their employers in the Zomia region (rural communities of Southeast Asia - in Burma , Vietnam , Malaysia , Indonesia ) in the 1970s - 1980s . In general, he believed that his theory was suitable for almost all Third World states. In today's world, examples of routine resistance can be found in the relations between an employee and employer, a people and a politician, those in power and those in authority.
Criteria
J. Scott identified 4 signs of hidden resistance
- The lack of organization and the private nature of the actions;
- Imposed reciprocity between dominant and subject;
- Hiding traces of actions aimed at resistance;
- Public demonstration of loyalty and conformism of partial declarations and confessions.
Criticism of the concept
For orthodox Marxist sociologists, Scott's concept is the newest form of populism , praising the ability of backward social masses to adapt patiently to the pressures of capitalism and the state. For liberal sociologists and economists, Scott is a romantic who tries to discover some special — historically non-market — motivations in people's behavior.
Literature
- J. Scott "Weapons of the Weak"
- E. Neveu "Sociology of social movements"