Executive branch Quote by Noam Chomsky
““What about the role of the CIA in a democratic society? Is that an oxymoron? You could imagine a democratic society with an organization that carries out intelligence-gathering functions. But that’s a very minor part of what the CIA does. Its main purpose is to carry out secret and usually illegal activities for the executive branch, which wants to keep these activities secret because it knows that the public won’t accept them. So even inside the US, it’s highly undemocratic. The activities that it carries out are quite commonly efforts to undermine democracy, as in Chile through the 1960s into the early 1970s. That’s far from the only example. By the way, although most people focus on Nixon’s and Kissinger’s involvement with the CIA, Kennedy and Johnson carried out similar policies.””
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Political Power and Intelligence Agencies, 2015
The CIA operates primarily through secret, often illegal actions that undermine democratic values, revealing a fundamental conflict between intelligence work and democracy.
In simple terms: The CIA does secret, sometimes illegal things that clash with democracy.
Key Takeaway
Demand transparency and accountability for intelligence agencies.
Themes
politics
democracy
intelligence
ethics
Mood
critical
provocative
Type
political
philosophical
When to use this quote
- policy reform
- journalistic investigation
- public debate
- legal oversight
- historical analysis
Key Concepts
state power
civil liberties
foreign policy
Questions to Reflect On
- Should intelligence agencies be subject to democratic oversight?
- What safeguards can prevent covert undemocratic actions?
A Different Perspective
Secrecy can erode public trust and enable abuse of power.
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