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Quote by Noam Chomsky

“That intellectuals, including academics, would become a "new class" of technocrats, claiming the name of science while cooperating with the powerful, was predicted by [Mikhail] Bakunin in the early days of the formation of the modern intelligentsia in the 19th century.”

Quote by Noam Chomsky

Author

Noam Chomsky, born on December 7, 1928, is a renowned linguist from the United States. His research in generative grammar and transformational grammar has had a profound impact on modern linguistics. Chomsky's academic achievements extend beyond linguistics, as he is also an active political commentator and philosopher, known for his unique perspective and profound insights. more

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“[Mikhail Bakunin] expectations were generally confirmed, including his prediction that some would seek to gain state power on the backs of popular revolution, then constructing a "Red bureaucracy" that would be one of the worst tyrannies in history, while others would recognize that power lies elsewhere and would serve as its apologists, becoming mystifies, "disablers," and managers while demanding the right to function in "technocratic isolation," in World Bank lingo.”

World States Would Be Lying Worst Revolution Becoming Expectations Gains Red Function Including Tyranny Managers Isolation Elsewhere Predictions Bureaucracy World Bank

Author:Noam Chomsky

“I would, however, question the implication that there is some novelty in this beyond modalities [of Mikhail Bakunin], which naturally change as institutions change and develop.”

Institutions Novelty Implications

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“Isaiah Berlin described the intellectuals of [Mikhail] Bakunin's "Red bureaucracy" as a "secular priesthood.”

Red Secular Bureaucracy Berlin Priesthood

Author:Noam Chomsky

“Pascal in his bitter rendition of the practices of the Jesuit intellectuals he despised, including their demonstration of "the utility of interpretation," a device of manufacturing consent based on reinterpretation of sacred texts to serve wealth, power, and privilege.”

Wealth Practice Sacred Including Privilege Bitter Devices Interpretation Consent Utility Demonstration Manufacturing Despised Pascal Jesuit Sacred Texts Reinterpretation

Author:Noam Chomsky

“[Isaiah] Berlin's observation is accurate enough, and applies at home as well, and even more harshly for the reasons already mentioned: the apparatchiks and commissars could at least plead fear in extenuation.”

Wells Reason Enough Home Observation Accurate Berlin

Author:Noam Chomsky

“The beam in our own eye is harder to detect, although - or more accurately because - to detect it, and remove it, is vastly more important on elementary moral grounds, and commonly more important in terms of direct human consequences as well. Intellectuals have historically played a critical function in performing these tasks, and [Ivan] Illich is right to observe that claims to scientific expertise and special knowledge are often used as a device.”

Humans Wells Important Eye Used Term Moral Special Consequence Tasks Direct Function Claims Harder Critical Performing Remove Devices Expertise Beam

Author:Noam Chomsky

“Those who actually do have a valid claim to such special competence have a particular obligation to make very clear to the general public the limits of what is understood at any serious level; these limits are typically very narrow in matters of significance in human affairs.”

Humans Matter Levels Clear Special Particular Serious Limits Understood Claims Affair Obligation Significance Competence General Public

Author:Noam Chomsky

“I pretend no originality in observing that mass education was motivated in part by the perceived need to "educate them to keep them from our throats," to borrow Ralph Waldo Emerson's parody of elite fears that inspired early advocates of public mass education.”

Needs Mass Inspired Motivated Throat Educate Elites Originality Observing Parody Waldo Emerson Ralph Waldo

Author:Noam Chomsky

“More generally, independent farmers had to be trained to become docile workers in the expanding industrial system. It was necessary to drive from their heads evil ideas, such as the belief that wage labor was not much different from chattel slavery. That continues to the present, now sometimes taking the form of an attack on public education.”

Ideas Different Sometimes Form Evil Belief Labor Independent Slavery Workers Farmers Expanding Public Education Docile

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“The attack on Social Security is similarly motivated. Social Security is based on the conception is that we should have sympathy for others, not function merely as isolated "rational wealth maximizers."”

Should Social Wealth Security Should Have Function Rational Conception Motivated Isolated Social Security

Author:Noam Chomsky