(Not that many others have.) Here is a sampling of Chomsky’s views on Communism and Leninism: I would add that, as a “critic,” Chomsky has yet to offer a systematic critique of existing Communist parties and states. McChesney says that Noam Chomsky has been a persistent “opponent and critic of Communist and Leninist political states and parties” (43). That is to say, he has never explained to us how it would manifest itself in organized political struggle or actual social construction. As far as I know, Chomsky has never offered a clear explication of his anarcho-libertarian- socialist ideology. Of course, the ambiguity is not McChesney’s but Chomsky’s. “Libertarian socialist” is a sweeping designation, safely covering both sides of the street. McChesney says that Chomsky can be “characterized as an anarchist or, perhaps more accurately, a libertarian socialist” (43). More important is the question of Chomsky’s politics. I would suggest that in these several areas credit for leading the way goes to the generations of Marxist writers and other progressive thinkers who fought the good fight well before Chomsky made his substantial and much appreciated contributions. McChesney credits the MIT professor with (a) leading the battle for democracy against neoliberalism, (b) demonstrating “the absurdity of equating capitalism with democracy” (44), and (c) being the first to expose the media’s complicity with the ruling class. 11:40–47), Robert McChesney gives what amounts to an encomium to Noam Chomsky.

In the April 1999 Monthly Review (50, no.

Michael parenti inventing reality