Keepin' 'Em Down

There's a whole school of thought out there that believes in the notion that it is not good to have a strong middle class. To these people, you only need to look at the 1960's and 1970's in America to understand that sending kids to college (so that they may improve their lot in life) is a bad idea. You know--because those uppity kids might start to demand change, and more opportunity--equality even.

To the ruling class in this country, that's just too risky. To the ruling class, democracy is OK, but plutocracy is much better. Best to keep the little folks down. Thank goodness there are plenty of ways to do that:

Alex Carey said that the people of the US have been subjected to an unparalleled, expensive, 3/4 century long propaganda effort designed to expand corporate rights by undermining democracy and destroying the unions. The 20th century, he wrote, is marked by three historic developments: the growth of democracy via the expansion of the franchise, the growth of corporations, and the growth of propaganda to protect corporations from democracy. Carey’s unique view of US history goes back to World War I and ends with the Reagan era.

Noam Chomsky dedicated his book “Manufacturing Consent” to the memory of Alex Carey. Chomsky says that the Australian sociologist would have written the definitive history of propaganda in the US, had he lived to complete his work. This is a fairly complex production with many voices, historic sound clips, and source material. The program has been used by writers and students of history and propaganda. Alex Carey: Taking the Risk out of Democracy, Corporate Propaganda VS Freedom and Liberty with a foreword by Noam Chomsky was published by the University of Illinois Press in 1995.

Radio can educate. Radio can challenge--without being hateful. Part one here, part two here.