Class Quote by Noam Chomsky
“Our current prison state has the dual effect of getting rid of a superfluous population of basically unskilled workers (with a close race-class correlation), and also demonizing them... The drug war is basically for this - It has nothing to do with drugs, but it has plenty to do with criminalizing an unwanted population and scaring everybody else.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Lecture at University of California, 2014
The prison system and drug war marginalize low‑skill workers, linking race and class, and serve to control an unwanted population.
In simple terms: Prisons and drug policies target disadvantaged groups.
Key Takeaway
Question policies that criminalize poverty.
Themes
justice
inequality
politics
systemic racism
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
analytical
political
When to use this quote
- activism
- policy reform
- community outreach
- education programs
Key Concepts
sociology
criminal justice
public policy
Questions to Reflect On
- What alternatives exist to incarceration?
- How can society address underlying economic disparities?
A Different Perspective
Complex issues also involve drug abuse and public safety concerns.
![“I wrote an article about the marine landing [in Haiti] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two months later and I assumed by then, "of course, everybody knows." Nobody knew. There was a news report in the Wall Street Journal, in the petroleum journals, and…” quote by Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/dc5/noam-chomsky-42_articles_i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-land_13341.jpg)
