Diffusion Against Centralization: A Lecture Delivered Before The Rochester Athenaeum And Mechanics' Association

by Lewis Henry Morgan

Diffusion Against Centralization is a lecture delivered by Lewis Henry Morgan before the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics' Association in 1852. In this lecture, Morgan argues against the centralization of power and decision-making in society, advocating instead for the diffusion of power among individuals and communities. He believes that centralization leads to tyranny and the suppression of individual rights, while diffusion promotes freedom and innovation. Morgan draws on examples from history and contemporary society to support his argument, and discusses the potential benefits of diffusion in areas such as education, government, and economics. This book provides a fascinating insight into the political and social debates of the mid-19th century, and remains relevant today as we continue to grapple with questions of power and authority in society.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

62 pages, Paperback

Published September 10, 2010

About the author

Lewis Henry Morgan was a pioneering American anthropologist and social theorist, and one of the greatest social scientists of the nineteenth century in the United States. He is best known for his work on kinship and social structure, his theories of social evolution, and his ethnography of the Iroquois. Due to his study of kinship, Morgan was an early proponent of the theory that the indigenous peoples of the Americas had migrated from Asia in ancient times. His social theories influenced later Leftist theorists. Morgan is the only American social theorist to be cited by Charles Darwin, Karl Marx and Sigmund Freud.