The book “Violence and Social Order” presents a collection of concepts that demonstrate how societies have utilized active control of political, economic, military, religious, and educational activities over a 10,000-year period to prevent and suppress violence. The most important of these concepts include two types of social order: “limited access” and “open access.” The authors of this book attempt to answer the question of how open access societies are more developed politically and economically.

In a section of the introduction, the singer is faced with the division of natural governments into three categories by the authors: “The crumbling natural government that is on the verge of collapse and cannot support any organization other than itself… The foundational natural government that only allows for the formation of government-affiliated organizations… And the mature natural government that has the ability to support a wide range of civil, political, and economic organizations outside of direct government control.” However, the text goes into detail about the transition of societies from natural governments to open access societies.

Violence and social systems have seven seasons. In the first season, the conceptual framework of the book is explained and clarified. The second season discusses the characteristics of natural governments and introduces and compares different types. The third season explains the natural government in terms of action, and in the fourth season, open access systems – which, according to the authors, are more peaceful than natural governments in various aspects – are introduced. The fifth season examines the transition from limited access systems to open access systems, and the sixth season describes this transition from natural governments to open access systems. In the final season, a new research program for social sciences is presented, and an attempt is made to introduce a new approach for research in social sciences by summarizing the main topics of the book.

The authors of the mentioned book believe that according to historical evidence, the majority of societies have restricted violence through political intervention in the economy and the creation of rent for the ruling class. These rents have been a major obstacle to economic and political development. However, in modern societies (where open access systems have been introduced), a type of economic and political institutions are created that strengthen political and economic competition. Although these institutions may undermine ethics, they have also led to innovation, prosperity, and economic growth.

Douglas North, winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in Economics and one of the most famous new institutionalists, passed away in 2015. His book, recently translated and published in Persian, is definitely worth reading and critiquing for those interested in the field of social sciences.

“من به تو نیاز دارم”

“I need you”

Book Name: Violence and Social Orders (A Conceptual Framework for Interpreting Recorded Human History)

Authors: Douglas North, John Joseph Wallis, and Barry Weingast

Translators: Jafar Kheirkhoahan and Reza Majidzadeh

Publication Date: 2018

Publisher: Rozaneh

Explanation: In introducing this book, we have used the critique published in issue 38 of Qalamro Rafah magazine about it.