How the World Works (Real Story (Soft Skull Press))

Noam Chomsky is one of the great intellects of our time. He is a professor at MIT and a leading scientist-philosopher and political theorist with special contributions in the areas of theoretical linguistics and cognitive science. This book is a compilation of interviews and speeches largely focused on political theory, covering a wide range of topics from NAFTA to East Timor. As a result, it is a great primer on his thought.While Chomsky’s grasp of history and world affairs is unparalleled, perhaps his greatest intellectual gift is his ability to distill the diversity and complexity of world events down to a simple picture, simply explained. Such ability for distillation, of course, often offends those whose opinions and perspectives don’t survive the distillation, either because they are inaccurate or irrelevant, which is why we don’t hear more about him in the US media. All the more reason, I believe, to hear what he has to say.The lens through which he distills the world in this book is the power of capital. It is not greed, because once you are the richest nation on the planet or individually worth more than 100 billion dollars, but will still do almost anything for more, greed is no longer rational or relevant. Power, however, is a cup that never overflows.America, Chomsky argues, has never been a democracy. And while that has always been true in a technical sense (The Electoral College and US Senate were, from the beginning, designed to be barriers to allowing the populace to control its own destiny.), he sees our constant reference to democracy as the distracting hand of the magician who is, with his other hand, picking the pockets of the world.Despite what our leaders in Washington tell us, there is no democratic ideology in American politics and foreign policy. There is only the quest for power that flows from unbridled wealth. He quotes the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London as concluding that, “while the US pays lip service to democracy, the real commitment is to ‘private, capitalist enterprise.’” In other words, our true ideology is how to further enrich and empower the corporations, hedge funds, and other capitalist cabals that own the country and the political process. As John Jay said, “The country should be governed by those who own it.” And indeed they do.If, as John Dewey put it seventy years ago, “Politics is the shadow cast on society by big business,” how have they pulled off “capital’s clear subjugation of labor,” and taken such firm control of both Americans in general, including the ones so subjugated, and the political process in particular?The simple answer is sleight of hand. Chomsky argues that for years that magical distraction was the Cold War, funneling untold wealth and the research and technology paid for by American taxpayers through the Pentagon and its proxies, through its enormous funding of research, unimaginably large spending power, and virtual guarantee that every country in the world will bow to American corporate will or suffer the might of the greatest military every assembled.The Pentagon and its proxies even created the American tech revolution, which we have naively attributed to the genius of a few young visionaries who could see the future the rest of us couldn’t, when, in fact, if was the Department of Defense and the US taxpayer who made it all possible. (And who, by the way, have never received a nickel in financial return on the investment.)With the end of the Cold War, and the realities of the tech world now emerging into the light, exposing both the limits and the evil realities it has unleashed, our government effortlessly substituted jobs as the great justifier of our continued capital pillage.And now, it seems, having created jobs that few people seem to want, (worker engagement runs at an all time low) we have once again effortlessly shifted the distracting hand of the magician to the defense of democracy. Authoritarianism, we are told, is the new enemy of freedom and prosperity. Will the sleight get enough traction to continue to fuel our brand of free market capitalism or will labor – all labor, long subjugated, insist that its voice be heard?If you are an American who believes that we are the strongest nation in the world due to the strength of our democratic institutions and that our politicians rule solely for our benefit, there is much in this book you won’t agree with. There is some I don’t agree with. But that, in my mind, is all the more reason to read it. If you can’t defend your own perspective against Chomsky’s insight and reasoning, then you are just another magician.I won’t recommend that you read this book. But I do challenge you to.

Didn't like that it was 1990's stuff and didn't feel up to date. Despite that, it held my interest enough to finish reading it.

There were some parts that were really eye opening, facts and observations; other parts were rather dull. This would explain why some parts, mostly in the front half read quickly and other parts took forever because they were rather dull.The book does show its age though, like the part where he talks about disseminating information by cassette tape.Overall a great read that I would recommend

I admit it. I simply like Dr Chomsky's no nonsense and honest approach to politics, both nationally and globally. In this, "How the World Works", Dr Chomsky is true to form and discusses the reality that lays behind the teleprompters and soundbites. Regardless of your political leanings, it seems that nearly everyone of us knows that "something" is gravely wrong with not just America, but the World. We have become a rubberless ship on a stormy sea and rocks are becoming ever more dangeriously close. We've come to instinctively distrust government, politicans, and the ever croaching police state. Washington, it seems, no longer represents us, the Amereican People. Dr Chomsky allows us to glimpse the "Man behind the Curtain", or to be more accurate, those pulling the strings behind the curtain and explains in clear cut language what's happening to us as a nation.The 314 page book is basically a series of questions and answers as asked by David Barsamian, ranging from US Foreign Policy, poverty, and the CIA to the "War on Drugs", Latin America, the future of democracy in America and much more. Some of what Dr.Chomsky says you may agree with; some of it you may not; some of it might even make you angry, but all of it will make you think and question, which is the whole point. Dr. Chomsky is regarded as one the most important intellectuals in the world today; cited 8th of the most quoted authors, behind the Bible, Shakespeare, Plato, Aristotle, Marx, Lenin, and Sigmund Freud.I strongly urge anyone interested in US Foreign Policy, racial relations, poverty, the 'War on Drugs" or is simply concerned about America's future to read this book. It will at least get you thinking in a new way, and just perhaps, that will start you on your journey toward making a difference.

If you are a firm patriot, look away. This book will blow gaping holes in your rose tinted patriotism. The trouble is they are very real, credible holes. Its the kind of grown up truth that once you read it, the world is a different place. You lost belief in Santa and the Tooth Fairy. Now its time to see the reality of what we call freedom; what we call democracy. Read it if you dare. Most of you won't.This guy is blackballed from mainstream media, because he is right, and the truth is dangerous to the powers that be. It makes it more difficult for them to steer "the bewildered herd".The book itself is very accessible and easy to read. Its broken up into sections corresponding to different interviews on different subjects, but there is a little repetition, just so that each section stands well on its own. If you have lived outside the USA, if you have ever ready Orwell's 1984, you will find the book easier to accept. The difficulty will come from a refusal to accept what is going on; a refusal to accept that Santa was invented to sell more stuff; and that our history books are full of feel-good distortions of what really goes on.

I've given this 4 stars because Chomksy is always worth reading. Whether you agree with him or not, there's no deviousness in the way he sets his stall unlike with nearly every politician in every country. You take it or leave it.My one gripe is that it is too repetitive because it is more or less a series of transcripts and dependent on what he is being asked about, hence the repetition. He always backs up his views with the evidence that he has gathered to support it and for that, cannot be faulted unlike some of the rent-a-quote people who have way too much influence on politics these days. As for journalists in the UK, they haven't got a clue in most cases apart from a very few honourable exceptions.

As with most Chomsky books, really eye opening stuff. Edited into more bitesize points than some of his other books, so not too difficult for the beginner. Really important stuff to understand the world we live in and especially the way things are going lately, if you're not aware, you'll be manipulated to vote and act against your interests. Don't let it happen, buy the book!

Wow, it's incredible! This man has straightened my thinking. If u want to understand news, Globalisation, free market, International trade, etc, I mean the faces behind words, just comfortably pick, sit n read. It's unbelievable the wickedness of some human beings!

I have read this book on the train to work for the last month if even 1/2 is true it is too depressing, but I guess it is something we always knew. This is the trouble with empirical politics. Rise up brother and let's start the revolution, or just assist the capitalist elite to their endgame.

This books is inspiring me to be more active and pick up a cause . We are Facing many issues from different fields so lot of work needs to be done. A clear and honest book that could help to understand better our Conditions and the Propaganda we live in .