{"product_id":"natures-evil-a-cultural-history-of-natural-resources-paperback-softback-9781509547593","title":"Nature's Evil; A Cultural History of Natural Resources (Paperback \/ softback) 9781509547593","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eNature's Evil\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\u003cfont size=\"5\"\u003eA Cultural History of Natural Resources\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eAlexander Etkind (Author), Sara Jolly (Translated by)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9781509547593, Polity Press\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003ePaperback \/ softback, published 27 January 2023\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e368 pages\u003cbr\u003e22.9 x 15.2 x 3 cm, 0.567 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"I recommend anything by Alexander Etkind, who is a cultural historian of Russia. His latest book is called 'Nature's Evil' and... it actually goes a very long way to explaining how Russia works.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eMasha Gessen, \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Provocative, insightful and informative, Etkind explores the cultural, economic and political institutions built on the humble foundations of commodities such as hemp, coal and wheat. The ideas of matter and the matter of ideas leap to life in his pages. Readers will find themselves rethinking their notions of civilisation, its origins and future.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eEdward Lucas, formerly senior editor at \u003ci\u003eThe Economist\u003c\/i\u003e and author of \u003ci\u003eThe New Cold War\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Etkind's book is a treasure trove of ideas about the material, cultural and political lives of natural resources. An utterly original and fascinating blend of intellectual, ecological and moral history. A great read, not to be missed!\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eNancy Fraser, New School for Social Research, author of \u003ci\u003eCapitalism: A Conversation in Critical Theory\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"In detailed chapters on grain, animal products, sugar, hemp, metals, peat, coal and oil, historian Alexander Etkind explores how nature and its commodification has shaped states and societies, as the pursuit of power and wealth has degraded people and despoiled the planet.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNature\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"Provocative\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eTimes Literary Supplement\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"eloquent\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003eH-Soz-Kult\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\"This book is a triumph. . . . A must-read for future generations of environmentalists hoping to understand the context of environmental destruction.\"\u003cbr\u003e—\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEurasian Geography and Economics\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis bold and wide-ranging book views the history of humankind through the prism of natural resources – how we acquire them, use them, value them, trade them, exploit them. History needs a cast of characters and in this story the leading actors are peat and hemp, grain and iron, fur and oil, each with its own tale to tell.  \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The uneven spread of available resources was the prime mover for trade, which in turn led to the accumulation of wealth, the growth of inequality and the proliferation of evil. Different sorts of raw material have different political implications and give rise to different social institutions. When a country switches its reliance from one commodity to another, this often leads to wars and revolutions. But none of these crises go to waste – they all lead to dramatic changes in the relations between matter, labour and the state. Our world is the result of a fragile pact between people and nature. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e As we stand on the verge of climate catastrophe, nature has joined us in our struggle to distinguish between good and evil. And since we have failed to change the world, now is the moment to understand how it works.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eAcknowledgements\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Introduction\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Part 1.  History of Matter\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Chapter 1.  Cry Fire\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 2.  Grain’s Way\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 3.  The Remains of Foreign Bodies\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 4.  Sugar and Spice and All Things Nice\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 5. Fibres\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 6. Metals\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Part 2. History of Ideas\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Chapter 7. Resources and Commodities\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 8. Resource Projects\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 9. The Mercantile Pump\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 10. The Resources that Failed\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Part 3. History of Energy\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Chapter 11. Peat\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 12. Coal\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Chapter 13. Oil\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Conclusion. Leviathan or Gaia\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Literature\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Notes\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eSubject Areas: History [\u003ca title=\"See our other books on History\" href=\"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/search?q=%22History%20%5BHB%5D%22\"\u003eHB\u003c\/a\u003e]\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Polity","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52463013396760,"sku":"9781509547593","price":13.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0730\/2037\/5320\/files\/9781509547593.jpg?v=1785545155","url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/natures-evil-a-cultural-history-of-natural-resources-paperback-softback-9781509547593","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}