Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Profit Over People: Neoliberalism & Global Order by Noam Chomsky, Robert Waterman McChesney, Robert W. McChesney ISBN: 1-888363-82-7 Publisher: Seven Stories Press Pub. Date: November, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.42 (26 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Wide-ranging but powerful
Comment: In this collection of essays that examines the dynamics of globalization and democracy, Chomsky makes clear that the "profit" imperative of private corporations are clearly triumphing over the needs of the vast majority of "people" in the world.
The superb intro written by Robert McChesney discusses how neoliberalism threatens democractic institutions. McChesney lauds Chomsky for his many contributions to public understanding of how the economic system works and for whom, and for encouraging citizens to demand greater accountability from the unelected corporate elites.
Chapter one is a brief history of the modern world order. Chomsky explains that protectionism has been often used by the U.S. and Britain to nurture their nascent industries to health and prosperity. Yet, Chomsky points out that the dogma of "free trade" has been used to economically colonize weaker countries. For example, Great Britain helped impoverish India's citizens by enforcing trade restrictions, but the captive Indian market served to greatly enrich investors in Britain.
In Chapter two, Chomsky asserts that despite repeated attempts to condition the people to accept the neoliberal doctrine, opinion polls consistently show that people still believe in democratic principles such as fair levels of taxation, ample spending on public programs, etc. This article suggests that people cherish democractic ideals and therefore might have the capacity to successfully demand and win change -- even against entrenched corporate interests with far greater resources at their disposal.
Chapter three examines inconcistencies in U.S. policy with respect to free trade. Chomsky claims that Ronald Reagan was the most protectionist of all U.S. presidents (despite his rhetoric to the contrary). In short, the U.S. supports free trade when it is seen as a benefit but against it when foreigners have comparative advantage (such as when the Japanese automakers had superior high-mileage cars on the market in the early 1980s). Chomsky also discusses U.S. policy with Cuba. The author argues that the real motivation for the U.S. embargo is not to encourage democracy in Cuba but to stifle the appeal of Cuba's redistributive policies and prevent them from spreading to other countries.
Chapter four examines U.S. policy throughout the hemisphere. Chomsky reveals a consistent pattern of preference for protecting the rights of investors and repressing the human rights of citizens in countries that dare to opt for greater democracy.
In Chapter five, Chomsky links the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas, Mexico with the declining living standards wrought by unregulated corporate access to third world resources and labor markets.
Chapter six discusses the MAI agreement. Chomsky stresses that this misguided treaty was negotiated in secret in order not to alarm democratic populations of the treaty's overt favortism to private capital over people and the environment.
The seventh and final article was written after the MAI proposal was defeated by concerned citizens groups, who made the secret text of the proposal public using the Internet. Chomsky cites this victory as evidence that democracy is "the ultimate weapon" that can be used to protect the rights of the people. However, Chomsky warns that the people must be forever vigilant if we want to prevent further concentration of wealth and power in private corporations.
Throughout, Chomsky ties his lessons back to the Founding Fathers to show how far our country has strayed from its original ideals. Whether you agree or disagree with the conclusions drawn, Profit Over People should at least give readers pause to consider the state of our democracy and what might be required to fix it. Highly recommended.
Rating: 4
Summary: Chomsky's damning disection of global capitalism
Comment: Chomsky's "Profit over People" is a careful and thought provoking (not to mention exhaustive) examination of the ultimate goals of the world of private business: profit, power, and the maintance of the status quo and the class system at any cost. If that cost is to be paid in human lives and soles, (as in East Timor and elsewhere); so be it. Of particular interest in this work by Chomsky are the sections in which he examines the recent changes from 'real' business, viz., business linked to production etc., to modern 'speculative' business, i.e, gamblers buying and selling foreign currencies etc., and the effect this has had (and will continue to have) on a global economy obsessed with nothing but profit, profit, and more profit.
Do yourself a favour and read this book. Forget Clancy, Archer, etc. That's released on to the market simply to distract the peasants of society (i.e. non-millionaires). Read instead Chomsky, Herman, Orwell, Wells, Said, Huxley, et al. Gain an insight into how much harm we, as citizens of democratic societies, are inflicting on the Third World. In addition, ponder on why you have not seen this (or any other) book by Chomsky reviewed in the main stream press. If Professor Chomsky's observations and views are as easy to dismiss as his critics would have us believe, why don't they?
Rating: 5
Summary: Loved the e-book version
Comment: ...Read the book and you might be pleasantly surprise by what you get... unless you're an investment banker!
 |
Title: Hegemony or Survival: America's Quest for Global Dominance (The American Empire Project) by Noam Chomsky ISBN: 0805074007 Publisher: Metropolitan Books Pub. Date: 04 November, 2003 List Price(USD): $22.00 |
 |
Title: Media Control: The Spectacular Achievements of Propaganda (Open Media Series) by Noam Chomsky ISBN: 1583225366 Publisher: Seven Stories Press Pub. Date: December, 2002 List Price(USD): $8.95 |
 |
Title: Understanding Power: The Indispensable Chomsky by Noam Chomsky, John Schoeffel, Peter R. Mitchell, Peter Mitchell ISBN: 1565847032 Publisher: New Press Pub. Date: February, 2002 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
 |
Title: Manufacturing Consent : The Political Economy of the Mass Media by Noam Chomsky, Edward S. Herman ISBN: 0375714499 Publisher: Pantheon Books Pub. Date: 15 January, 2002 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
 |
Title: 9-11 by Noam Chomsky ISBN: 1583224890 Publisher: Seven Stories Press Pub. Date: October, 2001 List Price(USD): $8.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
