Order and Anarchy

Exploring the interplay between violence and social evolution, this book delves into civil society and social relations, challenging traditional notions of stability and instability. By integrating insights from anthropology, political science, and evolutionary theory, it presents a fresh perspective through diverse case studies, including transient African gold rush communities and the British nightclub scene, alongside stable hunter-gatherer and peasant cultures. Robert Layton offers a radical critique of established concepts of civil society, enriching the discourse on human social dynamics.