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Hello my lovelies, let's talk about Noam Chomsky.
There's a vast amount of him giving lectures and interviews, so I'm just gonna focus on his views about John Rawls & justice, democracy, liberty, equality, private property, corporations, the federal reserve and privatization.
There's a vast amount of him giving lectures and interviews, so I'm just gonna focus on his views about John Rawls & justice, democracy, liberty, equality, private property, corporations, the federal reserve and privatization.
Chomsky argues that Rawls' ideas are interesting, but justice shouldn't be derived from abstract considerations, it should come from complex real situations.
Ideas like internationalism & liberal democracies don't follow from their theory or have any real basis for that matter.
Ideas like internationalism & liberal democracies don't follow from their theory or have any real basis for that matter.
The power system & how it works is different he says, there's a class concious & powerful business community that constantly fights a relentless class war.
They've overwhelming power over the political system & influence the media.
The US is also a very frightened country and
They've overwhelming power over the political system & influence the media.
The US is also a very frightened country and
always has been, it's a cultural effect he claims.
He states that there's no conflict between liberty & equality, this is just ideological dogma.
Even classical liberals like Adam Smith didn't believe there was conflict & spoke about equality of outcome & not of opportunity.
He states that there's no conflict between liberty & equality, this is just ideological dogma.
Even classical liberals like Adam Smith didn't believe there was conflict & spoke about equality of outcome & not of opportunity.
Smith was opposed to monopolies & believed corporate concentrations of power were dangerous to liberty.
Chomsky mentions that when these corporations were introduced, classical liberals & conservatives were staunchly opposed to them - some even called them a return to feudalism.
Chomsky mentions that when these corporations were introduced, classical liberals & conservatives were staunchly opposed to them - some even called them a return to feudalism.
Madison didn't really like democracy tho, Chomsky continues.
He knew that if people were given the chance, they'd vote according to their interests for wealth redistribution.
He didn't want that, he wanted rich people & their property rights to be protected, not infringed upon.
He knew that if people were given the chance, they'd vote according to their interests for wealth redistribution.
He didn't want that, he wanted rich people & their property rights to be protected, not infringed upon.
As a result, Madison devised a system where rich people would have the power & poor people were fractionalized.
Chomsky argues that Aristotle favored democracy tho & he meant a community of equals where everyone participated.
Let's put aside that slaves & women didn't vote and
Chomsky argues that Aristotle favored democracy tho & he meant a community of equals where everyone participated.
Let's put aside that slaves & women didn't vote and
let's focus on what Aristotle wrote.
He eventually faced the same problem as Madison, but he reached a different conclusion.
He understood that if all participated, but there's huge wealth inequality, then the poorest majority would use their power to advance their interests.
He eventually faced the same problem as Madison, but he reached a different conclusion.
He understood that if all participated, but there's huge wealth inequality, then the poorest majority would use their power to advance their interests.
Democracy was to pursue the common good of all tho, not just the majority's.
Whereas Madison reduced democracy so rich people won't be threatened, Aristotle reduced inequality so that the problem wouldn't arise in the first place.
He basically advocated for a welfare state,
Whereas Madison reduced democracy so rich people won't be threatened, Aristotle reduced inequality so that the problem wouldn't arise in the first place.
He basically advocated for a welfare state,
for a participatory democracy & equality so that all people had a sustainable income.
Unfortunatelly nowadays, the Senate makes sure that the power stays in the hands of the wealthy & the international community acts the same way.
If any country tries to change things and
Unfortunatelly nowadays, the Senate makes sure that the power stays in the hands of the wealthy & the international community acts the same way.
If any country tries to change things and
implement social policies against the interests of the wealthy, then capital flows out of it & the country goes down the tube Chomsky mentions.
He also believes that property rights aren't like other rights. The right to property is very different to the right of free speech.
He also believes that property rights aren't like other rights. The right to property is very different to the right of free speech.
If you've the right to property, then I don't have the right to that property, but your right to free speech doesn't interfere with my right to free speech.
Most don't have the right to property & they want to change that, he argues, but the Madisonian system doesn't allow it.
Most don't have the right to property & they want to change that, he argues, but the Madisonian system doesn't allow it.
He mentions that Corporations have enormous rights beyond a person's rights - they're basically immortal & an attack on free markets.
These were created by the judicial system & corporations rely on public subsidy, most wouldn't survive otherwise.
But 95% of people want..
These were created by the judicial system & corporations rely on public subsidy, most wouldn't survive otherwise.
But 95% of people want..
corporations to sacrifice their profits, so he proposes a message to circulate working class movements.
The message that autocratic corporations shouldn't exist at all.
He notes that wage labour was viewed as an infringement on human rights & this wasn't a radical position.
The message that autocratic corporations shouldn't exist at all.
He notes that wage labour was viewed as an infringement on human rights & this wasn't a radical position.
The slogan of the Republican party in 1870 was that wage labour isn't so different from chattel slavery.
These potitions were mainstream right until corporations were founded 100 or so years ago.
He also argues that in the world in which we live, we only have two choices.
These potitions were mainstream right until corporations were founded 100 or so years ago.
He also argues that in the world in which we live, we only have two choices.
We either eliminate the federal reserve & let the banks do whatever, or we use the few mechanisms that exist.
It'd be nice if we were in another world but we're not.
When a housing bubble is created by predatory financial institutions & it bursts creating an economic crisis,
It'd be nice if we were in another world but we're not.
When a housing bubble is created by predatory financial institutions & it bursts creating an economic crisis,
we must use the tools that are available, like the federal reserve & government stimulus.
Central banks aren't the reason for financial crises he argues, it's conceivable to happen if they inflate the money, but this isn't the case.
The right's predictions about inflation..
Central banks aren't the reason for financial crises he argues, it's conceivable to happen if they inflate the money, but this isn't the case.
The right's predictions about inflation..
are a fantasy & we have to pay attention to the facts of the world.
We don't live in a dream he vividly states.
Chomsky also spoke about cooperating with those we disagree with by mentioning that he too writes for the NYC, but doesn't share their worldviews.
Opposition to..
We don't live in a dream he vividly states.
Chomsky also spoke about cooperating with those we disagree with by mentioning that he too writes for the NYC, but doesn't share their worldviews.
Opposition to..
military interventions & to the kind of state power that subsidizes & supports predatory corporations, are issues that most people find common ground.
Chomsky strongly believes that If you care about people & their fate, you've to make hard choices according to what exists now.
Chomsky strongly believes that If you care about people & their fate, you've to make hard choices according to what exists now.
In addition, he mentions that when the right wants to privatize something, they just defund it so there's a drop in quality.
When the public starts to complain, they suggest privatization as the solution. He gives the example of M. Thatcher & the privatization of UK railroads.
When the public starts to complain, they suggest privatization as the solution. He gives the example of M. Thatcher & the privatization of UK railroads.
Americans have been fed the message that they should only care about themselves he continues.
You shouldn't care if a disabled widow survives, you should only care if you've enough shoes.
The right constantly talks about ludicrous concepts that mean nothing, like efficiency.
You shouldn't care if a disabled widow survives, you should only care if you've enough shoes.
The right constantly talks about ludicrous concepts that mean nothing, like efficiency.
And how do they measure efficiency you might ask? Well, according to profits.
If the costs become high, they simply transfer them to the public.
You may very well need to take the 11 PM bus but if they don't make enough money from this route, they'll simply cut it he notes.
If the costs become high, they simply transfer them to the public.
You may very well need to take the 11 PM bus but if they don't make enough money from this route, they'll simply cut it he notes.
They may even say that the solution if you're in a hurry to get to work, is to take a limousine.
Noam Chomsky concluded that privatization undercuts democracy, it takes something from the public and puts it in the hands of a private & unaccountable tyranny.
Noam Chomsky concluded that privatization undercuts democracy, it takes something from the public and puts it in the hands of a private & unaccountable tyranny.
If you want to learn more about Noam Chomsky and his ideas, these are some great resources:
