Peasant Wars Of The Twentieth Century

Condition remarks:
Book: Acceptable
Jacket: Wear and tear with damage
Pages: Tanning and foxing
Markings: Previous owner
Condition remarks: pages can have notes and/or underlining

In the shadow of the twentieth century's great ideological conflicts, Eric R. Wolf's Peasant Wars of the Twentieth Century presents a sweeping, comparative analysis of six major revolutionary upheavals — in Mexico, Russia, China, Vietnam, Algeria, and Cuba — each ignited by the fury and desperation of rural peasant populations pushed to the breaking point by colonial exploitation and capitalist expansion. Wolf argues with formidable scholarly authority that these conflicts were not merely political or military events, but profound social transformations driven by agrarian crisis, the erosion of traditional peasant communities, and the violent disruption of centuries-old ways of life. Drawing on his background as one of the foremost anthropologists and historical thinkers of the twentieth century, Wolf illustrates how structural economic forces — rather than simple ideology — mobilised millions of dispossessed rural workers into revolutionary movements that reshaped the modern world. His comparative methodology cuts across national boundaries and ideological divides, revealing startling patterns in the relationship between capitalism, colonialism, and collective violence. A landmark work in both political anthropology and modern history, Peasant Wars of the Twentieth Century remains as urgent and provocative as ever — challenging readers to reconsider who truly makes history, and at what cost.