Reviews and Comments

"In different ways, the fate of democracy as at stake in Madison, Wisconsin, no less than it is in Tahrir Square", Chomsky writes in this work, and the collection of brief analyses of global interventions - as well as power plays by the governments engaging in them - unveils that assumption in the work. The plight of Palestinians, desperation of Rust Belt working class left at the hands of neoliberal policies, and many more stories shed light on the kind of big picture look that Chomsky is always recognised for.

Rocker does a lot of great service in presenting historical currents and events in his detailing of anarchist movements, revolutions and ways in which the communities in question organised themselves, however I found a little less in the way of theoretical exploration of concepts than expected.

"From Tuskegee to Guatemala via Nuremberg" is the title of one of the chapters in this book, and one that conveys a theme running through it. The climate crisis afflicting the globe's populations but paid little more than lip service by political and economic elites; US meddling and interventions in some of the world's poorest countries; Apartheid crimes of global corporations; the racism crisis in the heart of the Empire, and many more subjects illustrate the plight - and occasional wins - of the organised working class.

How brittle and small the WikiLeaks staff was in its early years, or how Assange's often unpredictable and less-than-cordial personality and management style shaped it, are some of the questions that have almost become academic in the midst of developments around the platform, and its creator, in recent years. But they are in full display here, and Domscheit-Berg's humble narration and personality aids the exploration greatly.