[The American Lion]

Noam Chomsky denounces old friend Hugo Chávez for 'assault' on democracy
Renowned American intellectual accuses the Venezuelan leader of concentrating too much power in his own hands

Hugo Chávez has long considered Noam Chomsky one of his best friends in the west. He has basked in the renowned scholar's praise for Venezuela's socialist revolution and echoed his denunciations of US imperialism.

Venezuela's president, who hasrevealed that he has had surgery in Cuba to remove a cancerous tumour, turned one of Chomsky's books into an overnight bestseller after brandishing it during a UN speech. He hosted Chomsky in Caracas with smiles and pomp. Earlier this year Chávez even suggested Washington make Chomsky the US ambassador to Venezuela.

The president may be about to have second thoughts about that, because his favourite intellectual has now turned his guns on Chávez.

Speaking to the Observer last week, Chomsky has accused the socialist leader of amassing too much power and of making an "assault" on Venezuela's democracy.

"Concentration of executive power, unless it's very temporary and for specific circumstances, such as fighting world war two, is an assault on democracy. You can debate whether [Venezuela's] circumstances require it: internal circumstances and the external threat of attack, that's a legitimate debate. But my own judgment in that debate is that it does not."

Chomsky, a linguistics professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, spoke on the eve of publishing an open letter (see below) that accuses Venezuela's authorities of "cruelty" in the case of a jailed judge.

The self-described libertarian socialist says the plight of María Lourdes Afiuni is a "glaring exception" in a time of worldwide cries for freedom. He urges Chávez to release her in "a gesture of clemency" for the sake of justice and human rights.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/ju ... -democracy

Interesting that he is losing allies now even big ones in the United States.

[eugenekop]

Is there any world leader whom Chomsky likes? He is an anarchist after all.

[Wolfman]

I was recently correct on that, he's a Marxist.

[grassroots1]

He's a libertarian socialist, and eugene I think he originally commended Venezuela for coming out from under the thumb of foreign influence, for the most part, but as you can see is against authoritarian government in any form.

[Julian]

Yes, I supect very many socialists will take the same view as Chomsky

we want to see continuing redistribution of wealth in Venezuela but are not prepared to support a centralisation of power in the office of the President.

[Kman]

but as you can see is against authoritarian government in any form.

Except for when it comes to economics, in that area he is about as liberal as Joseph Stalin. I couldnt go about peacefully creating and selling things like I wanted in Chomsky's little paradise, if I did so pseudo-government agents would invade my property and punish me.

[grassroots1]

Except for when it comes to economics, in that area he is about as liberal as Joseph Stalin.

You should try to gain an understanding of libertarian socialism before you claim he's Stalin. The ideology is vehemently opposed to authoritarianism and centralization of power.

I couldnt go about peacefully creating and selling things like I wanted in Chomsky's little paradise,

Actually on a small scale you probably could, it's just when you begin to amass capital and gain the means to exploit others that people might begin to have a problem with your actions. Read up on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libertarian_socialism

[Wolfman]

What you fail to realize GR, is that as anyone who isn't a self described Libertarian or Anarchist, he is by default Stalin or Hitler. And only Right Libertarians and Right Anarchists are Libertarians or Anarchists.

[Kman]

You should try to gain an understanding of libertarian socialism before you claim he's Stalin. The ideology is vehemently opposed to authoritarianism and centralization of power.

I know what Syndicalism is and it is extremely authoritarian, it doesnt matter whether the force is applied by government officials or un-official government agents in the form of union thugs, the results are the same.

[grassroots1]

I know what Syndicalism is and it is extremely authoritarian

By definition, it's not, and Syndicalism is only one school of thought within libertarian socialism.

Regardless of what you think about property rights, comparing libertarian socialism to Stalinism is just bogus. In a libertarian socialist society you are free in every respect: to speak your mind, to organize freely, to take advantage of collective goods, etc. It's just that they define ownership in collective terms and feel that it's exploitative for a person to be able to have ownership over the means of production, because it allows them to have control over the lives of working people.

Also in my mind it's a system that's brought about from the ground up, not the top down. If workers collectively own a company, they have made a step in the direction of the type of system we're talking about.

Libertarian socialism tends to deny the legitimacy of most forms of economically significant private property, viewing capitalist property relations as forms of domination that are antagonistic to individual freedom.[16]

Opposition generally first begins with large corporations for inherently being designed as private tyrannies; and secondly the state, because citizens can vote for their state's representatives and often have some means of democratic participation, even if a nation state is violating its social contract.

In lieu of corporations and states, libertarian socialists seek to organize themselves into voluntary associations (usually collectives, communes, municipalities, cooperatives, commons, or syndicates) that use direct democracy or consensus for their decision-making process. Some libertarian socialists advocate combining these institutions using rotating, recallable delegates to higher-level federations.[30] Spanish anarchism is a major example of such federations in practice.

It's all there, man.

[eugenekop]

I wonder when violence can be applied accordingly to Chomsky.

[ozone]

Just like someone I knew who climbed the step ladder to fame, authoritativeness, and credibility and consistently attacked capitalism and then making a 180 degree somersault to attack an enemy of the United States. Nothing but a paid agent of american imperialism or Zionism. I bet the next famous author in line to question Hugo's legitimacy is another Zionist, Naomi Klein..

[Guillotine]

This story is important because Chomsky has been such a staunch supporter of Chavez until this point. I actually disagree with his point about the amount of centralization in the regime, however. Chavez should really be consolidating his power more. Sure, he's made bad decisions but the fact is that he's a lot better than the mid level bureaucratic right-wing of his party that threaten to take over the country upon his demise.

[ozone]

Hugo Chavez achieved his position as president through a democratically held election. Until somebody gets re-elected and assumes his post will he remain as president. Who then is the dictator who questions the legitimacy of his position if Chavez achieved power through consensus. Chavez is a shrewed politician. He was the one who started the fad of appearing on television everyday to answer questions from viewers through telephone. Just like Fidel who practiced direct democracy with utmost efficiency. Remain Machiavellian, my dear friend Hugo. Let them gruesomely ill-wish on you. Until God is with you will you stay healthy and alive. God is with you, Presidente Chavez...

[ozone]

Hugo Chavez achieved his position as president through a democratically held election. Until somebody gets re-elected and assumes his post will he remain as president. Who then is the dictator who questions the legitimacy of his position if Chavez achieved power through consensus. Chavez is a shrewed politician. He was the one who started the fad of appearing on television everyday to answer questions from viewers through telephone. Just like Fidel who practiced direct democracy with utmost efficiency. Remain Machiavellian, my dear friend Hugo. Let them gruesomely ill-wish on you. Until God is with you will you stay healthy and alive. God is with you, Presidente Chavez...

[ThePublicOpinions]

I'm not sure you understand what the world "consensus means". This is exactly why democracy is so flawed. The tyranny of the majority is still tyranny.

[HoniSoit]

What is interesting about all this is that Chomsky would probably not have been mentioned if he has criticised the US and the UK. But the left-liberal Guardian would make a big story out of Chomsky criticising an enemy of the West. I mean, no newspaper whatsoever has asked him to write a regular column and his name - let alone his view - is practically unmentionable in the respected liberal press. Now he becomes such a human rights star in the eyes of liberal press because he has criticised someone we don't like. This just shows how corrupted the liberal establishment is.

[Ambroise]

Honi -- you are quite correct.

TAL-- All is not as it appears and there seems to be a *minor* controversy over this incident:

Perhaps this link will serve for a slightly more clear and developed picture:

Chomsky subsequently told a blogger that the article was "dishonest" and "deceptive", an accusation that has been reported elsewhere.

The original blog in question, where Chomsky levied the aforementioned charges is inaccessible for the moment.

Others have also responded on Chomsky's behalf.

[Ombrageux]

HS - I find it kind of shocking that he is apparently considered untouchable by the majority of news media, no column or whatever, even as he considered among the most influential intellectuals in the world (if not the single most influential living intellectual).

[setyoursights]

Israel Defense Forces subdivided into different categories like Left-lib journalists, Right journalists and apologists, communist parlementarians..These bunch of members of the US media pretend to fight each other but subtly penetrating all sectors and organizations in US like the CPUSA and KKK and Panthers, all of them acting in orchestrated manner and skillfully deceiving all enemies of the US and simultaneously acting in cahoots with US intelligence agencies to destroy these enemy organizations...Political prostitutes of USA..