Karl Wittfogel
Karl August Wittfogel (1896–1988) was a German-American historian, geographer, and sinologist. He is best known for his work on the hydraulic hypothesis of state formation, which he outlined in his most famous book, 'Oriental Despotism: A Comparative Study of Total Power'. Wittfogel proposed that large-scale irrigation projects in arid regions led to the creation of centralized, despotic states and bureaucracies, which he termed 'hydraulic empires'. His work has been influential in the fields of sociology, anthropology, and the study of early civilizations.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. A Comparative Study Of Total Power
The book in question is a scholarly examination of the concept of 'hydraulic civilization,' a term used to describe societies that manage large-scale water projects such as irrigation and flood control. The author argues that the bureaucratic structures necessary to control water resources in arid regions historically led to the centralization of power and the development of autocratic or despotic forms of government. Through comparative analysis, the work explores how the management of water resources influenced social, economic, and political structures, and how this 'total power' shaped the civilizations in question, with a particular focus on Asia. The study delves into the relationship between natural environments, technological capabilities, and the evolution of political systems.
The 3262nd Greatest Book of All Time
