Publisher's Synopsis
In Noam Chomsky's characteristic style, "Year 501" offers a succinctly written, logical analysis, firmly grounded in the documentary record.;Noting that the current period has much in common with the Columbian Age of Imperialism, during which Western Europe conquered most of the world, Chomsky focuses on various historical moments in this march of imperial power, up to and including the current axis where the United States, Germany and Japan share world economic control, with the United States revelling in a virtual monopoly of military might.;Chomsky argues that the current political and economic situation is unstable. Growing disparities between powerful and disenfranchised leave the bulk of the population impoverished and unable to resolve the problems which confront them. Impending environmental and other long-term crises aggravate the uncertainty and danger. These circumstances could offer opportunities for constructive steps towards popular democracy and freedom; or, alternatively, they could provide the basis for domestic fascism.
