Political and social thought in America, 1870-1970 Book

To summarize:
There are two ways that human beings can fulfill our needs and desires: the economic means (applying labor and capital to natural resources and producing something useful) and the political means (living off the labor of others). The State – in whatever external form it takes, whether Monarchy, Communism, Socialism, Fascism, or Democratic Republicanism – exists for no other reason than to function as a legally-sanctioned organization that enables its members to live by the political rather than the economic means. In other words, to enable one group of people to exploit another group (producers, serfs, slaves, whatever)so that its members can get stuff they want - wealth, power, luxuries, etc. - without working, or at least without working very hard.

In terse erudite delightfully dry prose, Nock shows us how every state-run civilization that has ever existed has followed the same trajectory: it continually grows for perhaps 400 years by feeding on its producers until it begins to suck them dry. Then trouble ensues as the people begin to suffer scarcity and the civilization begins to fall into disrepair and exhibits cynicism and dissolution as signs of decay until it eventually weakens to a barely functioning hulk of rusted-out machinery. When some calamity, such as natural disaster or barbarian invasion occurs the civilization collapses and, lacking the strength or resources to recover, it dies. Centuries later its ruins get dug up and studied by archaeologists.

Not that anything can be done about it, Nock says; but when we notice our own civilization collapse like every civilization that ever existed before it, we will understand what is occurring and will know why. At the end of the book, Nock explains why, since nothing can be done about it, he even bothered to write the book. His reason is because he thinks it's true and perhaps there might be a reader or two who is interested in knowing the truth of things for no other reason than because they are true. Well it so happens I am one of these type readers. I liked the book very much and think Mr. Nock makes a compelling case for his premises, but I can certainly understand how many people might not enjoy it as much as I did. Whether you enjoy the ideas presented or not, the book is written in a very clear and direct way that is pleasant to read and easy to understand.