Noam Chomsky, 84, is doubtless one of the leading American thinkers in the field of political economy. “Profit over people” is a short, but insightful collection of essays, written during the last decade of the 20th century. The book offers a brilliant selection of historic examples. Every single statement is supported with powerful evidence. For example, in the chapter “Neoliberalism and the Global Order” he writes:
“The "principal architects" of the neoliberal "Washington consensus" are the masters of the private economy, mainly huge corporations that control much of the international economy and have the means to dominate policy formation as well as the structuring of thought and opinion. The United States has a special role in the system for obvious reasons.”
The gist of “Profit over people” is that the current global order predetermines poverty and suffering in many developing countries through its institutions, both public and private. Chomsky traces the history of neoliberalism through a detailed analysis of free trade agreements of the 1990s, the World Trade Organization, and the International Monetary Fund. The topics covered include debunking of myths about “free market” and real history of Zapatista rebels in Mexico. “Profit over people” is a thought-provoking masterpiece full of eye-opening facts.