Journal 4 - Weapons of the Weak and Race Rebels

I instantly found Scott’s opinions in Weapons of the Weak relatable because there truly are different forms of resistance – it does not always involve a revolution where two sides physically fight. It is important to recognize these everyday forms of resistance because they demonstrate people’s refusal to follow hegemonic rule. Instead of conforming to the rules, the people using these small forms of resistance to protest their dissent against the status quo. Scott argues that these everyday actions are more powerful than a full-fledged fight because most revolutions in history have not ended favorably for the peasants (89). After they finish fighting for a cause, they end up getting cheated out of their agreement and the oppressive cycle continues with new rulers. I enjoyed his analogy of the peasants acting like the polyps that create a coral reef; in other words, Scott believes that peasants are the backbone of our society and help build it up with their small contributions, but society tends to ignore their influence. However, as Kelley states, it is important take the common people’s opinions into account since they are the ones who undergo the struggle as compared to bigger organizations that claim to represent the targeted group’s interests (96).