I expect "Seeing Like a State" goes into it, but top-down global abstraction and standardization often does work. e.g. mass production, mass media, and States t

I expect "Seeing Like a State" goes into it, but top-down global abstraction and standardization often does work. e.g. mass production, mass media, and States themselves are unbelievably, fantastically successful. The point is more than it doesn't always work, as standardization is a poor substitute for actual understanding.