Noam Chomsky on 1968 - It was the beginning of it all

newstatesmen.com ^ | May 10th, 2008 | Noam Chomsky

[The_Republican]

Nineteen sixty-eight was one exciting moment in a much larger movement. It spawned a whole range of movements. There wouldn't have been an international global solidarity movement, for instance, without the events of 1968. It was enormous, in terms of human rights, ethnic rights, a concern for the environment, too.

The Pentagon Papers (the 7,000-page, top-secret US government report into the Vietnam War) are proof of this: right after the Tet Offensive, the business world turned against the war, because they thought it was too costly, even though there were proposals within the government - and we know this now - to send in more American troops. Then LBJ announced he wouldn't be sending any more troops to Vietnam.

The Pentagon Papers tell us that, because of the fear of growing unrest in the cities, the government had to end the war - it wasn't sure that it was going to have enough troops to send to Vietnam and enough troops on the domestic front to quell the riots.

One of the most interesting reactions to come out of 1968 was in the first publication of the Trilateral Commission, which believed there was a "crisis of democracy" from too much participation of the masses. In the late 1960s, the masses were supposed to be passive, not entering into the public arena and having their voices heard. When they did, it was called an "excess of democracy" and people feared it put too much pressure on the system. The only group that never expressed its opinions too much was the corporate group, because that was the group whose involvement in politics was acceptable.

The commission called for more moderation in democracy and a return to passivity. It said the "institutions of indoctrination" - schools, churches - were not doing their job, and these had to be harsher.

The more reactionary standard was much harsher in its reaction to the events of 1968, in that it tried to repress democracy, which has succeeded to an extent - but not really, because these social and activist movements have now grown. For example, it was unimaginable in 1968 that there would be an international Solidarity group in 1980.

But democracy is even stronger now than it was in 1968. You have to remember that, during Vietnam, there was no opposition at the beginning of the war. It did develop, but only six years after John F Kennedy attacked South Vietnam and troop casualties were mounting. However, with the Iraq War, opposition was there from the very beginning, before an attack was even initiated. The Iraq War was the first conflict in western history in which an imperialist war was massively protested against before it had even been launched.

There are other differences, too. In 1968, it was way out in the margins of society to even discuss the possibility of withdrawal from Vietnam. Now, every presidential candidate mentions withdrawal from Iraq as a real policy choice.

There is also far greater opposition to oppression now than there was before. For example, the US used routinely to support or initiate military coups in Latin America. But the last time the US supported a military coup was in 2002 in Venezuela, and even then they had to back off very quickly because there was public opposition. They just can't do the kinds of things they used to.

So, I think the impact of 1968 was long-lasting and, overall, positive.

[Southack]

"Nineteen sixty-eight was one exciting moment in a much larger movement. It spawned a whole range of movements. There wouldn't have been an international global solidarity movement, for instance, without the events of 1968."

Chomsky's an idiot and a liar. Poland in the 1980's would have had Solidarity against the CCCP whether kids rioted in Chicago or not back in 1968.

[Southack]

"The Pentagon Papers (the 7,000-page, top-secret US government report into the Vietnam War) are proof of this: right after the Tet Offensive, the business world turned against the war..."

Chomsky's an idiot and a liar. The Pentagon Papers are not proof that the business world turned against the war.

[Southack]

"But democracy is even stronger now than it was in 1968. You have to remember that, during Vietnam, there was no opposition at the beginning of the war. It did develop, but only six years after John F Kennedy attacked South Vietnam..."

Chomsky's an idiot and a liar.

[Southack]

"with the Iraq War, opposition was there from the very beginning, before an attack was even initiated. The Iraq War was the first conflict in western history in which an imperialist war was massively protested against before it had even been launched."

Chomsky's an idiot and a liar:

[Jack Wilson]

The Iraq War was the first conflict in western history in which an imperialist war was massively protested against before it had even been launched.

Well, the protests, which I don't think were very massive, didn't succeed in changing anyone's mind.

I think Noam will be disappointed when he sees McCain do well running on a campaign of victory in Iraq versus the Chomsky-Democrat approach.

[HerrBlucher]

Chomsky's an idiot and a liar:

Its called multi-tasking.

Regarding Lindberg, if I remember my history correctly, after Pearl Harbor Lindberg wanted to join the military but Roosevelt said no. Were there ANY anti-war protests after 12-7-41?

[Freedom4US]

“Reactionary” - he mis-spelled righteous indignation.

The average “voter” doesn’t fathom the depths of hatred that radical leftists have for America, and make no mistake, by definition Americans. If they did, they would never vote for them under any circumstances. Perhaps some have some inkling, but prefer to upset the existing order as a sort of entertainment.

One doubts the 60s generation of “peace love and dope” and “never trust anyone over 30” and “kill the pigs” and etc etc, ad infinitum ad nauseam will appreciate any new revolutions and the like. Their retirement is gonna be quite a bit different than they had envisioned. Woopsie!

[machenation]

THE Dr. Strangelove DVD tells everyone the exact time in the 60’s that the commies started to poison the minds of U.S. citizens. The movie it’self is not the issue for the commies but the N.Y. Times is mentioned in the extra material about the movie and actors. The dialog was about a movie critic calling the movie the worst unwatchable piece of celluloid ever made. I can't remember what details they were talking. However, the dialog continued to explain that the same critic reverses’ his critical disdain 6mos. later to praise the movie as a brilliant piece. If you watch the movie critically, you will see that all the military people are portrayed as incompetent children, who will kill everyone in the world for there own gain. The critic obviously at first saw a completely absurd story line but was forced to rewrite his view. At about the same time there was a string of movies about military incompetence. Off the top of my head two were, The Bedford Incident and Failsafe.

[Grateful One]

Yeah thanks there Norm for ruining my childood. I was 7 years old in May of “68. You and your ILK made it ok for our fathers to walk out on their familes and made our teen years even more confusing than they needed to be.

Wow, is this ever a keeper!

” The phrase “do your own thing as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone”, did not disappear after the sixties. Instead it took up residence and prospered in the “new culture”.

And the harm and misery it caused-——cannot be measured!”

(James Christopher Hall)

[Quackattack]

There wouldn’t have been the movement in Poland without the Pope’s visit in 1979. Chomsky would prefer the masses were inspired by a Gramsci-esque atheist instead, so he lives in his dream world.