American imperialism Quote by Noam Chomsky
““Respectable opinion would never consider an assessment of the Reagan Doctrine or earlier exercises in terms of their actual human costs, and could not comprehend that such an assessment—which would yield a monstrous toll if accurately conducted on a global scale—might perhaps be a proper task in the United States. At the same level of integrity, disciplined Soviet intellectuals are horrified over real or alleged American crimes, but perceive their own only as benevolent intent gone awry, or errors of an earlier day, now overcome; the comparison is inexact and unfair, since Soviet intellectuals can plead fear as an excuse for their services to state violence.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Manufacturing Consent, 1988
He argues that assessments of foreign policies often ignore human costs, while similar scrutiny of domestic abuses is avoided, revealing double standards.
In simple terms: Policy critiques ignore human costs, showing bias.
Key Takeaway
Apply consistent moral standards globally.
Themes
ethics
policy
double standard
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
academic
political commentary
When to use this quote
- journalism
- academic research
- policy debate
- humanitarian aid
Key Concepts
political analysis
human rights
historical context
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we ensure unbiased evaluation of all actions?
- What mechanisms expose hidden costs?
A Different Perspective
Political pressures may suppress honest assessments.
![“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)
