Noam Chomsky

With regard to freedom of speech there are basically two positions: you defend it vigorously for views you hate, or you reject it and prefer Stalinist/fascist standards. It is unfortunate that it remains necessary to stress these simple truths.

As soon as questions of will or decision or reason or choice of action arise human science is at a loss.

To the extent that Trump’s programs are coherent, they fall into the same general category of those of Paul Ryan, who has granted us the kindness of spelling them out: increase spending on the military…and cut back taxes, mainly on the rich, with no new revenue sources.

The social system is taking on a form in which finding out what you want to do is less and less of an option because your life is too structured, organised, controlled and disciplined.

If the Democrats could get their act together, overcoming the schism between the donor-oriented New Democrat Party management and the increasingly activist and social democratic base, they would have a decent chance to take over Congress.

A consistent anarchist must oppose private ownership of the means of production and the wage slavery which is a component of this system, as incompatible with the principle that labor must be freely undertaken and under the control of the producer.

Look, freedom is an overwhelming American notion. The idea that we want to see the world, the peoples of the world free is something that all of us subscribe to.

The heart of the security agenda is protecting lives – and we now know that the number of people who will die of AIDS in the first decade of the 21st Century will rival the number that died in all the wars in all the decades of the 20th century.

American Communists have the opportunity to preach freely their ideas. It would be absolutely wrong to hold the Soviet government responsible for activities of the American Communists.

I’ve read hundreds of books about China over the decades. I know the Chinese. I’ve made a lot of money with the Chinese. I understand the Chinese mind.

Ideas are more powerful than guns. We would not let our enemies have guns, why should we let them have ideas.

We will not allow the past to drag us down and stop us from moving ahead. We understand where we should move.

A basic principle of modern state capitalism is that costs and risks are socialized to the extent possible, while profit is privatized.

Donald Trump and I have, firstly, met more than once at various international venues and secondly, we regularly talk over the phone.

You cannot take your freedoms for granted. Just like generations who have come before you, you have to do your part to preserve and protect those freedoms… you need to be preparing yourself to add your voice to our national conversation.

You do not lament the loss of hair of one who has been beheaded.

In the history of modern socialism this is a phenomenon, that the strife of the various trends within the socialist movement has from national become international.

When we hang the capitalists they will sell us the rope we use.

Russia is a part of European culture. Therefore, it is with difficulty that I imagine NATO as an enemy.

The United States should get rid of its militias.

Nowadays wars are not declared. They simply start.