The Social and Political Thought of Noam Chomsky (Routledge Studies in Social and Political Thought, 24)

"The Social and Political Thought of Noam Chomsky questions Chomsky's claim not to have a theory about the relationship between human beings and their society other than that which can be 'written on the back of a postage stamp'. Edgley compares Chomsky's vision of the good society with liberal and communitarian perspectives, and establishes that it is grounded in a hopeful belief about human nature. She argues that sympathy with this vision of the good society is essential for understanding the nature of Chomsky's critique of state capitalism, its inherent nationalism and the media. The author concludes that Chomsky's analysis is coherent and systematic when one acknowledges that he is not just a critic but a theorist."--P. 4 of Cover Book Cover......Page 1 Half-Title......Page 2 Title......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Dedication......Page 8 Contents......Page 9 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Introduction......Page 11 Notes......Page 19 Introduction......Page 21 Science or interpretation?......Page 22 Is and ought......Page 24 Structure and agency......Page 25 Relativism......Page 27 The paradox of liberalism......Page 29 Rationalism......Page 30 Re-describing reality......Page 33 Human nature......Page 34 Chomsky’s methodology......Page 37 Chomsky’s opposition to theory......Page 38 Naturalism......Page 41 Essentialism and the responsibility of intellectuals......Page 43 Human nature, agency and social structure......Page 44 Critique......Page 46 Notes......Page 47 2 The ‘good society’......Page 52 The libertarian socialist......Page 55 Equality and freedom: the libertarian socialist tradition......Page 57 The liberal position on justice......Page 63 The libertarian critique......Page 64 The communitarian critique......Page 66 The liberal conception of human nature and its critics......Page 67 Chomsky’s views on human nature......Page 73 Naturalism and human nature......Page 78 Reconciling the naturalistic individual and community......Page 80 Conclusion......Page 82 Notes......Page 84 Introduction......Page 88 State defined by function......Page 89 State autonomy......Page 90 The necessity of the state under capitalism......Page 91 Marx and Chomsky on the state......Page 93 The state and force......Page 97 The state and international relations......Page 98 Chomsky’s contribution to state theory......Page 100 Conclusion......Page 105 Notes......Page 108 4 State theory......Page 111 Theories of the state......Page 112 Chomsky on the state......Page 117 Something like a capital-logic?......Page 123 Conclusion......Page 128 Notes......Page 130 5 Nationalism......Page 133 Conditions for nationalism......Page 135 Dichotomies......Page 137 Problems......Page 139 Progressive versus reactionary nationalism......Page 141 Eastern versus western nationalism......Page 143 Ethnocentric versus polycentric nationalism......Page 144 Possible objections......Page 148 American nationalism......Page 151 Conclusion......Page 152 Notes......Page 154 6 Politics and the media......Page 157 Media theory......Page 158 Ownership and control: the propaganda model......Page 160 Structuralism in Chomsky......Page 164 The responsibility of intellectuals......Page 167 Chomsky’s content analysis......Page 168 Chomsky’s bias?......Page 173 Chomsky on effects and audiences......Page 175 Conclusion......Page 180 Notes......Page 181 Conclusion......Page 186 Notes......Page 193 Bibliography......Page 195 Index......Page 202 "The Social and Political Thought of Noam Chomsky questions Chomsky's claim not to have a theory about the relationship between human beings and their society other than that which can be 'written on the back of a postage stamp'. Edgley compares Chomsky's vision of the good society with liberal and communitarian perspectives, and establishes that it is grounded in a hopeful belief about human nature. She argues that sympathy with this vision of the good society is essential for understanding the nature of Chomsky's critique of state capitalism, its inherent nationalism and the media. The author concludes that Chomsky's analysis is coherent and systematic when one acknowledges that he is not just a critic but a theorist."--Jacket