In our society, real power does not happen to lie in the political system, it lies in the private economy: thatโs where the decisions are made about whatโs produced, how much is produced, whatโs consumed, where investment takes place, who has jobs, who controls the resources, and so on and so forth. And as long as that remains the case, changes inside the political system can make some difference-I donโt want to say itโs zero-but the differences are going to be very slight.
Noam ChomskyIt's very common for the victims to understand a system better than the people who are holding the stick.
Noam ChomskyIf you have to control people, you have to have an administrative force that does it. So in U.S. industry, even more than elsewhere, there's layer after layer of management - a kind of economic waste, but useful for control and domination. And the same is true in universities.
Noam ChomskyFed and electoral college could use some tinkering, but they are not the source of the problems.
Noam ChomskyThe manufacturing industry is starting to press for some kind of national healthcare. Now it's beginning to put it on the agenda. It doesn't matter if the population wants it. What 90% of the population wants would be kind of irrelevant. But if part of the concentration of corporate capital that basically runs the country - another thing we're not allowed to say but it's obvious - if part of that sector becomes in favor then the issue moves onto the political agenda.
Noam Chomsky