If you assume that there’s no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, there are opportunities to change things, there’s a chance you may contribute to making a better world. That’s your choice. — Noam Chomsky, from Chronicles of Dissent
Chomsky is a world-renowned linguist, a professor of linguistics and philosophy at MIT and a lifelong political activist who was jailed for his anti-Vietnam War activities. He is regarded as the foremost critic of American media and U.S. foreign and domestic policy. Politically, Chomsky defines himself as an anarcho-syndicalist, citing Bakunin and Rudolf Rocker as his greatest influences.
— AK
Focuses on the myth and reality of the current situation in post-war Indochina. Shows the effects of the war and discusses the refugee problem, the Pol Pot regime, the question of human rights, and the role of the media.
Publisher: South End
Paperback: 392 pages
A first-rate collection of interviews furnishing an accessible overview of Chomsky’s thought. Perhaps the best place to start for anyone coming to the politics of Chomsky for the first time. AK
Publisher: Common Courage
Paperback: 272 pages
Corporations and their political allies wage an unrelenting class war against the working people. Privatization, the market and level playing fields are the mantras of the day. CEOs tell workers to tighten their belts while their own wallets are bulging. Income inequality is more acute in the U.S. than in any other industrialized country, even surpassing Britain. Glamorous Manhattan has disparities in wealth that exceed those of Guatemala. People are working long hours, producing more and earning less. Wages have been stagnant or declining for more than 20 years. The ranks of the poor have mushroomed. Meanwhile profits are at unprecedented levels. Recorded live at MIT, this marks the third volume in the series of lectures bringing Noam Chomsky’s words and vision to CD. 57 min. AK
Publisher: AK
Audio CD
Continuing his best-selling interviews with Barsamian, Chomsky provides a road map to the concentration of corporate power. Amid a devastating sketch of the ongoing destruction of civil society, Class Warfare unearths a cause for optimism in the ongoing struggle for human freedom. AK
Publisher: Common Courage
Paperback: 192 pages
In 1992, Bill Clinton was elected president of the United States. After 12 years of a Republican White House, voters hungry for “Change” believed Clinton when he promised a new vision, a new activism and a new direction for the U.S. Chomsky speaks about the president’s actions on NAFTA, health care, crime, labor relations, foreign policy and the economy. 56 min. AK
Publisher: AK
Audio CD
Examines the U.S. role in Central America, focusing on the Iran-Contra scandal. Shows how the real issue of the scandal—continuing terrorism in the world—was ignored to better concentrate on more inconsequential issues. Reveals the role the media played in facilitating a vision of the scandal as a “mistake” committed by high-minded individuals who later saw the error of their ways.
Publisher: South End
Paperback: 269 pages
“A revelatory portrait of the American empire and the danger it poses for democracy, both home and abroad. Chomsky details the major shift in global politics and economic potency and reveals the potentially catastrophic consequences of this new imbalance.”
Publisher: Hill and Wang
Paperback: 455 pages
Megamergers and monopolies are limiting competition. Fewer than 10 corporations control most of the global media. The existing free market depends heavily on taxpayer subsidies and bailouts. Corporate welfare far exceeds that which goes to the poor. Economic policy is based on the dictum “Take from the needy and give to the greedy.” 56 min. AK
Publisher: AK
Audio CD
In the gripping series of interviews from 1992 to ‘94, Chomsky outlines his views on a wide range of subjects including: health care, global warming, gun control and Clinton’s foreign policy. AK
Publisher: Common Courage
Paperback: 256 pages
“In this series of interviews, Chomsky confronts the often-asked question: What is the connection between his linguistic studies and his political analysis? The coverage in these interviews, which span the 20-year period from 1968 to 1988, extends from Chomsky’s personal background and intellectual development to the latest political events.”
Publisher: Black Rose
Paperback: 779 pages