This is a book that makes you think - and then think again.Ĭhomsky has gotten such a bad rap as some kind of extreme nut that rarely do people take the time to notice that he is one of the greatest political, social and philosophical thinkers of our time. Have you listened to any of Eric Martin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?ĭid you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

He sees anarchism as fitting in with an enlightened socialism. What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?Ĭhomsky takes issue with those who believe that anarchism and effective state action are opposed to each other.

Chomsky puts on his scholor's cap and dissects the anarchist movement in modern times. If you are interested in the history of anarchism and its place in the modern world, you will enjoy this in depth account of anarchism. Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? Also introduction is unrelated to the book and has already dated more than anything else here. You need to know going in that this book is not intended to be in any way a definitive statement on anarchism by Chomsky but is a collection of lesser writing by a third party. This is still worth listening to, Chomsky is a clear and interesting thinker and the reader does a good job with the material, but as a curiosity. The final essay on 'Language and Freedom' is hampered by Chomsky clearly working to a commission and not really being sure of what the topic is supposed to be about. Some of the pieces are better than others - the middle section on the Spanish civil war is the most interesting but is a review of a book that probably no one has read since the sixties so it is not the best anarchist history of that time period. It is also quite often repetitive - not on Chomsky's part but if he wants to quote the same passage from Humboldt at different points across a thirty year period it is probably up to an editor to not to collect all those quotations together. It is not analytic or deeply thought through the inclusion criteria seems to be if Chomsky mentions anarchism in the text then it is in. What is not made clear anywhere in the description of the book is that this is a collection of pieces, often excerpts from longer works, including interviews and book reviews where Chomsky talks about anarchism.

Chomsky on anarchism