Failed states : the abuse of power and the assault on democracy

The United States has long claimed the right to intervene militarily in "failed states" worldwide. In this anticipated follow-up to his bestseller, Noam Chomsky flips the narrative, illustrating how the U.S. itself exhibits characteristics of a failed state. He highlights a significant "democratic deficit," disregard for both domestic and international law, and policies that jeopardize its citizens and global stability. Analyzing recent developments in U.S. foreign and domestic policy, Chomsky warns of plans to further militarize the world, raising the specter of nuclear conflict. He critiques the consequences of the Iraq occupation, documents Washington's self-exemption from international standards like the Geneva Conventions and the Kyoto Protocol, and examines how the electoral system stifles genuine political alternatives, hindering true democracy. Forceful and meticulously researched, this work provides a thorough analysis of a superpower that seeks to reshape other nations while grappling with its own democratic crisis. By dismantling the U.S.'s pretense as the world's democracy arbiter, Chomsky delivers his most focused and urgent critique yet.