Understanding power : the indispensable Chomsky A major new collection from arguably the most important intellectual alive (The New York Times). Noam Chomsky is universally accepted as one of the preeminent public intellectuals of the modern era. Over the past thirty years broadly diverse audiences have gathered to attend his sold out lectures. Now in Understanding Power Peter Mitchell and John Schoeffel have assembled the best of Chomskys recent talks on the past present and future of the politics of power. In a series of enlightening and wide ranging discussions all published here for the first time Chomsky radically reinterprets the events of the past three decades covering topics from foreign policy during Vietnam to the decline of welfare under the Clinton administration. And as he elucidates the connection between Americas imperialistic foreign policy and the decline of domestic social services Chomsky also discerns the necessary steps to take toward social change. With an eye to political activism and the medias role in popular struggle as well as U.S. foreign and domestic policy Understanding Power offers a sweeping critique of the world around us and is definitive Chomsky. Characterized by Chomskys accessible and informative style this is the ideal book for those new to his work as well as for those who have been listening for years.