Failed States
The Abuse of Power and the Assault on Democracy
"It's hard to imagine any American reading this book and not seeing his country in a new, and deeply troubling, light." —The New York Times Book Review
The United States has repeatedly asserted its right to intervene militarily against "failed states" around the globe. In this much-anticipated follow-up to his international bestseller Hegemony or Survival, Noam Chomsky turns the tables, showing how the United States itself shares features with other failed states—suffering from a severe "democratic deficit," eschewing domestic and international law, and adopting policies that increasingly endanger its own citizens and the world. Exploring the latest developments in U.S. foreign and domestic policy, Chomsky reveals Washington's plans to further militarize the planet, greatly increasing the risks of nuclear war. He also assesses the dangerous consequences of the occupation of Iraq; documents Washington's self-exemption from international norms, including the Geneva conventions and the Kyoto Protocol; and examines how the U.S. electoral system is designed to eliminate genuine political alternatives, impeding any meaningful democracy.
Forceful, lucid, and meticulously documented, Failed States offers a comprehensive analysis of a global superpower that has long claimed the right to reshape other nations while its own democratic institutions are in severe crisis. Systematically dismantling the United States' pretense of being the world's arbiter of democracy, Failed States is Chomsky's most focused—and urgent—critique to date.
The United States has repeatedly asserted its right to intervene militarily against "failed states" around the globe. In this much-anticipated follow-up to his international bestseller Hegemony or Survival, Noam Chomsky turns the tables, showing how the United States itself shares features with other failed states—suffering from a severe "democratic deficit," eschewing domestic and international law, and adopting policies that increasingly endanger its own citizens and the world. Exploring the latest developments in U.S. foreign and domestic policy, Chomsky reveals Washington's plans to further militarize the planet, greatly increasing the risks of nuclear war. He also assesses the dangerous consequences of the occupation of Iraq; documents Washington's self-exemption from international norms, including the Geneva conventions and the Kyoto Protocol; and examines how the U.S. electoral system is designed to eliminate genuine political alternatives, impeding any meaningful democracy.
Forceful, lucid, and meticulously documented, Failed States offers a comprehensive analysis of a global superpower that has long claimed the right to reshape other nations while its own democratic institutions are in severe crisis. Systematically dismantling the United States' pretense of being the world's arbiter of democracy, Failed States is Chomsky's most focused—and urgent—critique to date.
Reviews
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“Chomsky is a global phenomenon . . . perhaps the most widely read voice on foreign policy on the planet.” —The New York Times Book Review
Other books by Noam Chomsky
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A Livable Future is Possible
by Noam Chomsky and C.J. Polychroniou -
Deterring Democracy
by Noam Chomsky -
What We Say Goes
by Noam Chomsky -
Imperial Ambitions
by David Barsamian and Noam Chomsky -
Power Systems
by David Barsamian and Noam Chomsky
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Failed States
by Noam Chomsky -
Global Discontents
by Noam Chomsky -
Hegemony or Survival
by Noam Chomsky -
Illegitimate Authority
by Noam Chomsky and C.J. Polychroniou -
Notes on Resistance
by David Barsamian and Noam Chomsky
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Chronicles of Dissent
by David Barsamian and Noam Chomsky -
The Precipice
by Noam Chomsky and C. J. Polychroniou -
Consequences of Capitalism
by Noam Chomsky and Marv Waterstone -
Optimism over Despair
by Noam Chomsky and C.J. Polychroniou -
Culture of Terrorism
by Noam Chomsky
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Turning the Tide
by Noam Chomsky -
Powers and Prospects
by Noam Chomsky -
Rogue States
by Noam Chomsky -
On Power and Ideology
by Noam Chomsky -
Year 501
by Noam Chomsky
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Propaganda and the Public Mind
by David Barsamian and Noam Chomsky -
Rethinking Camelot
by Noam Chomsky -
On Palestine
by Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappé -
Pirates and Emperors, Old and New
by Noam Chomsky -
Fateful Triangle
by Noam Chomsky
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After the Cataclysm
by Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman -
The Washington Connection and Third World Fascism
by Noam Chomsky and Edward S. Herman -
Masters of Mankind
by Noam Chomsky -
Gaza in Crisis
by Noam Chomsky and Ilan Pappé -
Hopes and Prospects
by Noam Chomsky
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Intervenciones
by Noam Chomsky