Tradução realizada pelo Coletivo Sycorax ( )

harrowing ( )

Federici's thesis appears intriguing on the surface, and while the work can provide insight into her own philosophical perspectives relating to socialist feminism, the book does not contribute to historical scholarship on the witch trials.

Federici does have valuable socialist insight found in the work. She notes how a hierarchal system (feudalism, and later capitalism) dispossesed the European peasantry from the means of subsistence / production - the land. From this premise, one can further concieve of the intersections between Environmentalism, Socialism, Feminism, and - with the addition of discussions relating to colonization - Postcolonialism. Unfortunately, despite this solid premise for philosophical discussion, this volume did not explore these avenues. Rather, it attempted a historical analysis seeking to link the witch trials of early modern Europe with primitive accumulation.

Federici cites her sources throughout, however, she makes numerous historical errors that raise red flags for historians. Firstly, her analysis stretches from the middle ages to early modern Europe, including multiple countries, and then into colonial Latin America and colonial British America. This only allows for a very shallow analysis of any given period and region to discuss in less than 300 pages total. Secondly, she refers to Prima Noctis as fact (this pervasive legend is popularized by Braveheart, but is pure fiction), and uncritically references the discredited witch cult hypothesis. These major issues remove any credibility of the work for students of history.

Overall, Federici's ideas in this work have value for philosophical thinkers, but not for serious students of history. The tragedy is that this work presents itself as a historical overview and thesis, and so fails in its mission. ( )

"De la emancipación de la servidumbre a las herejías subversivas, un hilo rojo recorre la historia de la transición del feudalismo al capitalismo. La imposición de los poderes del Estado y el nacimiento del capitalismo no se produjeron sin el recurso a la violencia extrema. La acumulación originaria exigió la derrota de los movimientos urbanos y campesinos, que normalmente bajo la forma de herejía religiosa reivindicaron y pusieron en práctica diversos experimentos de vida comunal y reparto de riqueza. Su aniquilación abrió el camino a la formación del Estado moderno, la expropiación y cercado de las tierras comunes, la conquista y el expolio de América, la apertura del comercio de esclavos a gran escala y una guerra contra las formas de vida y las culturas populares que tomó a las mujeres como su principal objetivo. Al analizar la quema de brujas, Federici pone al descubierto una poderosa dinámica de expropiación social dirigida sobre el cuerpo, los saberes y la reproducción de las mujeres." --Descripción del editor.

Excellent read on the end of European feudalism and the war capitalism waged to subdue peasants. Like many, my education about the Middle Ages was very limited, and my impression was mostly that of a miserable, impoverished peasantry in virtual slavery to their feudal lords. Little did I know that peasants actually had power - and lots of it - in the twilight of feudalism. The disintegrating feudal relationship, along with the massive labor shortage caused by the Black Death, led to massive wars against feudal masters and skyrocketing wages for workers.

It is in this context that Federici describes the 'Age of the Whip' - the imposition of capitalist discipline on a resistant peasantry. In particular, she explores the evolution of a number of trends, including: the enclosure of the commons and the 'bloody' laws against vagabonds, the shift to a mechanical view of the body, and most especially the war on women in the form of popular misogyny and witch burnings. She does a great job of tying these strands together in a way that's elucidating and engaging. There were a few moments towards the end of the book where I had to remind myself of the big picture, and the final chapter on the witch hunt in the Americas was not meshed well with the rest of the book, but overall a wonderful and highly recommended book. ( )